All 'Round the Sun
by tanglingshadows
Summary: Everything they knew was gone, and the people they cared about were scattered. There weren't many guarantees in life outside the prison, but one thing was certain, nothing was coming between them now. Bethyl. AU after 4A finale.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own The Walking Dead or any of the characters.

Thank you, Jen328 for editing this story for me!

As of 10/10/14, I went back through and edited a bit more. The story is still the same. Just fixed a few errors throughout.

* * *

She heard footsteps and turned to see him striding toward her. Relief overtook her body and she felt like she could breath again.

Beth looked him over quickly and there were no visible injuries, but the look on his face made her pause then a rush of adrenaline shot through her chest. She'd only seen that look once before, and she prayed it meant he was about to do what she thought he would.

His hands slid up her arms, across her collarbones, and settled on each side of her face. Beth's heart skipped as he leaned forward softly brushing his lips against hers before meeting her again in a punishing kiss. She froze for a moment then wrapped her arms around his neck and let her fingers tangle in his hair, pulling softly.

This kiss wasn't at all like the one they'd shared a couple of weeks ago. That had been hesitant and a little shy, especially since she instigated it. This kiss was brutal and rough. His lips slanted against hers and he pushed his tongue into her mouth, groaning when she met him with the same force.

When he started to pull back, she lightly bit his bottom lip before giggling softly.

Daryl's intense blue eyes locked her in place, and she expected declarations of love, but the single word that came out of his mouth confused her. Then he turned around and that confusion disappeared as she came face-to-face with a group of men that Merle Dixon would have felt at home with.

Daryl said it louder this time, pushing her behind him. "Claimed."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

* * *

"Tell me somethin' about your childhood." Her steps had become lighter since he'd met her. As they moved through the dense woods, he realized she was almost as quiet as he was now.

"It sucked," Daryl answered without much thought as he listened to the shuffling footsteps that signaled a walker's approach.

Beth sighed and stepped over a small tree that had fallen in the most recent storm. "Obviously. Somethin' you've never told anyone before, Daryl."

He leaned against the nearest tree and signaled for her to stop walking. Beth immediately fell silent and seemed to blend back into the tree closest to her. For a moment, he was proud at how she'd adapted, but then he shook that thought away as he slid the hunting knife out of its sheath on his hip.

It was colder now, and the walkers were slowing down, so it didn't have to time to get a full growl out before the blade pierced its eye and ended its second life.

"C'mon," he whispered. "Gotta find shelter." Daryl looked up at the sky and rolled his neck. Storm was coming, and he knew it was going to bring another cold front down on them. They needed a permanent place to stay or they were going to end up getting sick.

Beth nodded and took a few steps before he started following her. He allowed himself a moment of freedom to look at her as she scanned the area for any threats. The last few weeks had been hard on her, but she was still beautiful. She was strong and capable. He wasn't sure when his view of her had changed. Daryl had watched her from afar since he'd met her at the farm, but he hadn't really _seen _her until after he'd brought Merle back to the prison. After that, he noticed everything she did and let himself nurture a little bit of affection for her because of it.

She was an invaluable member of the group, even if she didn't realize it. He admired her kindness to the smaller children that were placed in her care, and how she made a home for all of them, prepared food, washed clothes, took fence duty and laid waste to walkers with her piece of rebar.

Somewhere along the way, she'd turned into an amazing woman.

Hershel had seen his interest, too, but Daryl had brushed off his one attempt to bring it up. Now, he wished he hadn't.

He couldn't deny the rush of relief he'd felt when he found her among the chaos of the prison walls, and he didn't hesitate to drag her along behind him as he sought their escape.

Deep down, he knew he shouldn't give in and voice his interest in her. She deserved better than some asshole redneck.

"We're good. Let's try this way." Her voice reminded him of where they were, and he took the lead.

No good could come from dwelling on that, so he focused on the forest around them, keeping a close eye out for anything that could cause her harm.

A while later, they happened upon a small creek and chose to follow it instead of cross it. They were rewarded for that decision when the sun began to set and a small hunting cabin came into view.

"Thank ya, Jesus," she whispered and sighed. "Please, jus' keep the walkers away, Daryl."

He barked out a laugh and circled the cabin. "Jesus gets the thanks, but I gotta do the hard part."

"Don't talk like that. Ya know I don't like it," she said softly over his shoulder.

He shivered as her breath tickled his neck but blamed it on the chilly wind that had picked up around them.

They walked up the porch steps, and Daryl knocked lightly on the cabin door. After waiting a few seconds and hearing no sounds from inside, he opened the door slowly. It was a huge single room with a bed along one wall and a sink, cabinets, and wood burning stove along the other. There was a dusty bookshelf full of dingy paperbacks and a table with a couple of chairs.

He spotted the door in the back corner and walked silently across the wood floor before throwing it open. No walkers. Just a tiny shower and a toilet. Chances were it ran off a well this far out... or maybe the creek. They might not have hot water, but it was better than nothing.

"Stay here, y'hear me?" Beth glanced his way from the bookshelf. "I'ma go huntin', maybe find us some meat for dinner. Ya get some wood off the porch and bring it in here. That way when it rains, it'll be dry and we can have a fire."

"I got it." She stepped over and touched his arm as he passed; her fingertips felt like fire on his bicep. "Be safe."

"Ain't no other way to be out there."

As Daryl took off through the woods, he could hear her start to softly sing as she gathered up some firewood.

* * *

Beth found some canned food in one of the cabinets and set it all out on the table. They had enough to last them a few days, but they'd need to make a run if they intended to stay here over the cold months coming.

She knew that's what Daryl would want to do, but he wouldn't want to voice it yet, either. He was handling her with kid gloves most of the time, afraid she'd break down at any moment. What he didn't know was the first time he'd gone on a hunt by himself—about a week after the prison fell—Beth had huddled under a tree and cried her eyes out.

She mourned her father, who had been struck down so callously. She grieved for her sister and Glenn, thinking it was very possible she'd never see them again. Finally, she cried for her friends and sweet baby Judith. She prayed every night that they got out and were together somewhere, making their way to another safe haven.

Daryl explained early on that they couldn't go back to track them. With all the foot prints and walkers, it would be damn near impossible to track them from the prison, he'd said. Their best bet was to search in the towns where they scavenged.

Weeks later and a few towns scavenged, and they'd yet to find a lead.

She looked out the single window over the sink and saw his approach. He didn't have any game on his belt and he looked agitated, which meant he'd be surly when he came indoors.

She huffed out a breath and shook her head. Her feelings for Daryl had taken a slight turn over the last few months. She thought it was a silly crush that would pass, but the more time she spent listening to him talk or watching him around the others, the worse it had gotten. Daryl was everything she wanted in a man. He was loyal, strong, and deep down, he was kind. Her daddy had tried to talk to her about her obvious staring the day before the prison fell, but she'd blushed and mumbled that there was nothing to talk about.

Beth was a great big liar. In the last few weeks, she'd been up close and personal with Daryl, and she was surer of her desire for him than ever before.

She pushed that all away as Daryl opened the door, looked at the fire she'd started and the food on the table, and grumbled to himself. Beth rolled her eyes and went back to searching the little cabin for anything they could use.

She found an old pot under the sink and wiped it with the rag that had been in another drawer. Daryl slouched in front of the fire, chewing on his thumbnail and maintaining his usual air of casual disinterest.

"No luck with the bow, then?" she asked as she picked up a can of purple hull peas and the can opener. Based on the last few weeks, she knew Daryl preferred these over everything else besides canned peaches.

"The hell ya think," he mumbled and let his hand fall to his lap. " 'Course everything's done gone to ground with the fuckin' weather. Couldn't even find a walker track out there. Buncha bullshit."

"It'll clear up." She dumped the peas into the pot and set them on top of the stove. She wasn't entirely sure how to get the burners to work, but the metal was hot enough as it was.

"No shit, but will it clear up 'fore we starve? We ain't got much left here." He waved his hand to their cache of food. "Ya can't afford to lose many more meals. Seen walkers with more meat on their bones than you, Beth."

"You're such a charmer." She tossed him a plastic bowl and spoon they'd found days earlier. "Eat your peas and stop bein' such downer."

Beth could feel his glare on her back as she retrieved her own bowl.

"Why are you such a pain in my ass? In case ya missed it, we're in the middle of nowhere and winter's comin' on. You're sittin' over there, actin' like we ain't got a care in the world. Fuckin' family's gone and you're makin' peas."

She knew that lashing out was his means of self-defense, but if he thought she was just going to let him walk all over her and be the quiet little miss she used to be, he was mistaken. Her life had gone to hell in last year—and more so in the last month. Plus, she knew that Daryl felt guilty every time he snapped at her.

She slammed her hands on the table and leaned toward him. Daryl's eyes went wide for a brief second before he schooled his features.

"Now, ya listen to me, Daryl Dixon. I've had about enough of your shit." His eyes narrowed as she continued. "Things are awful, I grant ya that, but we're still here. We can still survive this. I don't need ya to remind me that my family's gone. I'm well aware I prolly won't see Maggie again, and if ya don't recall, I was there to witness my daddy be murdered.

"We can work together and be a little happy, or I can sing and ya can sulk and think I'm aggravatin'. Don't matter to me, but I refuse to live what's left of my life under a dark cloud."

Daryl swallowed hard and looked away. "I don't know what to do," he said quietly.

She rounded the table and kneeled at his feet. After debating for a moment, she placed both hands on his knees and squeezed softly.

"Daryl, we're gonna figure this out. We'll find a map. There's gotta be one here, and we'll go and find a truck and make a couple of runs t'get stocked up. We just gotta have a little faith is all."

"I'm all outta that, princess."

Beth sighed and stood up. "Ya know I absolutely hate when ya call me that."

She spooned food into their bowls and took the other chair. They ate in silence, Beth thinking of a way to bring Daryl out of his depressed state, and Daryl staring at the fire, lost in his own thoughts.

Beth stood and tried the tap at the sink, surprised when cool water spilled out. With a small smile, she cleaned her bowl and put it back in her bag, just in case.

* * *

Daryl watched as she picked up the loose ends around the room and made sure their bags were packed and secure in case they needed to leave in a hurry. The sun had set earlier, and while he moped, she'd created a safe place for them just like she always did.

She found a hammer and some nails in a drawer and put a blanket over the large window that looked out on the porch. Then she nailed a thick sheet over the window by the sink. Beth pulled back the covers on the bed and shook them out, moved a small kerosene lantern to one bedside table, and then put her own buck knife beside it.

"I'm gonna take a shower before the storm comes in," she said, picking up a somewhat cleaner shirt, sweatpants, and the lantern.

He nodded and waited until she was inside the small bathroom before he stood and checked the locks on both windows and the door. He wedged a chair under the door handle, but knew it wouldn't keep out walkers if there were a lot of them. Still, it offered a little bit more security than before.

Daryl scratched the scruff on his jaw and looked toward the bathroom door.

All that mattered now was protecting her.

She said they needed to have faith, and he didn't lie when he said he was all out of it. He'd seen terrible things over the last few years and he wasn't so sure there was a God to have faith in, but he could try and make the best of it for her.

After they'd both cleaned up and the storm started coming down full force outside, Daryl added more wood to the fire and tried not to pay attention as Beth got under the covers in the bed across the room from him.

The past few weeks they'd slept in trees or on the ground. Once they'd stayed in the trunk of an abandoned car, but they'd never shared a bed.

"I'll sleep by the door." He started to reach for the extra pillow, but she grabbed his hand.

"Just lay down with me, Daryl."

He caught her stare and was overwhelmed by the shy trust that he saw there.

"Prolly not the best idea," he said gruffly.

Beth tugged his arm and laughed quietly. "It's a great idea. Just take your boots off. Let's not get our new bed filthy."

Daryl nodded, not wanting to say no anyway, and toed his boots off before sliding under the blankets beside her.

Instead of rolling away, like he thought she would, she curled around him, one arm around his waist and a leg thrown over his thigh.

"Stop thinkin'," she spoke quietly. "Nothin' about this is wrong."

He should have argued with her, but she made him warm and sleepy, so he just wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her closer.

He'd worry about it tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

* * *

Daryl slipped out of bed early the following morning and sat on one of the wooden chairs near the table. He didn't mean to, but he watched Beth sleep for a little while, wondering what he'd gotten into. He kept telling himself she was just being Beth. She didn't really care about him in _that_ way; she was naturally affectionate.

_He could hear Merle's voice in his head. "__It could have been anybody she cuddled around last night. You were just the one she was with, dipshit."_

No, it couldn't have been anyone, he thought to himself. Just the image of her curled around another man made his blood boil.

There was something there between them, and he was sure her feelings matched his own. Things just needed to be more settled before he brought it up.

Daryl walked outside for a moment to clear his head and check the area after the storm. No tracks, human or walker, were around the cabin, so he went back inside to start looking for a map.

It didn't take him long to locate the worn-out map used by the previous owner, and her barked out a laugh when he realized the man who owned the cabin had actually put a star over their position in the woods.

To busy feeling relieved over their good luck, he didn't notice Beth had woken up and was peeking over at him.

"I guess you finally lost your mind?" She pulled the blanket over her head and groaned.

"Found a map, and I know where we are, smart-ass."

Her head popped out from under the blanket, and she gave him a blinding smile. "Not too far from a town?"

Daryl cleared his throat and looked away from her wild hair and sleep-reddened cheeks. He couldn't push away the happiness he felt when she looked at him.

"Naw, about seven miles. We'll go south and hit the road in 'bout twenty minutes. We need t'find a truck, and we'll drive the rest of the way."

As he spoke, she had walked over to the table and leaned over his shoulder. Her blonde brushed against his jaw and made his stomach clench.

"Think there are many walkers?"

"Ain't no way of knowin' for sure, but we'll head out like we're gonna face a herd. No use takin' chances and hopin' the cold will slow 'em down too much."

She hummed in response and traced her finger over the star.

"Do ya know where the prison is?" Her voice was barely audible.

Daryl reached out and took her hand from the map, squeezing it gently.

"Good ways from it now."

"Do ya think we're the only ones left?"

He'd never lied to comfort someone before, and he didn't want to start with Beth. But he didn't want to cause her pain, either.

"Don't know."

Beth took her hand from his grasp, placed it on his shoulder, and leaned her forehead to the top of his head.

"I like to pretend they got out, and we'll see 'em in some random town on a run." She let out a shaky sigh before straightened. "When are we goin'?"

"Today. The town we're goin' to is small, prolly gonna have to go through houses to find stuff."

Beth walked around the table to the other chair and took a seat. "We need to make a list of necessities like we did when we were at the prison. You'll be in charge of one list, and I'll take the other."

"We ain't splitting up out there, Beth." His words were sharp even though his voice was quiet. "We'll make lists, but I'll be damned if you're gettin' outta my sight."

Daryl looked down at the map, embarrassed at his outburst. The fact was, he couldn't imagine what his life would be like without her there with him. There was no telling if they'd ever meet up with anyone again, and she was his responsibility. Not because he felt obligated to look out for her but because he cared about her.

"You'll handle all the manly things, right, like tools and weapons? I'll search out the comfort items and medicine?" There was humor in her voice as she tried to mimic his drawl. "We'll both look for food, though."

"I don't sound like that," he grumbled, smiling a little. "You wanna find the ammo by all means, princess. I'd prefer it if ya played nurse."

He could feel the tips of his ears burning as her jaw dropped. Then she started giggling and put her head on the table, shielding her own blushing cheeks from him. Daryl stood up quickly and walked to the door, grabbing his crossbow as he went.

"I'ma go and look at the trees around here. See if I can make a fence using them and some barbed wire. Make your list, and we'll leave when I'm done."

He couldn't hear her response, not that he wanted to anyway.

* * *

Beth watched him walk the perimeter for a minute before she searched for some paper. She didn't want to make a big deal out of his comment. It was said jokingly, and she knew how embarrassed he was, but the way his eyes widened and his face grew red was too priceless. It wasn't often she got to see Daryl so flustered, so when he was carefree, her heart felt lighter.

It was those little moments that made her feel like maybe, one day, he could let himself be with her.

With a smile on her face, she started her search for something to write on. She couldn't find any plain paper, but she hadn't expected to, so she tore a sheet from one the books on the shelf and used the pencil that Daryl had found with the map.

She'd made lists like this before, but the items would be different this time. At the prison, she'd only been responsible for the baby. Now she no longer needed formula or baby things for Judith. That realization made her a sad, but she remembered that while she didn't have a baby to look after, she had a grown man who'd rather eat with his fingers than a fork. Maybe it wasn't such a drastic change.

It took twenty minutes of thinking and writing before she felt that she'd made a complete list. She had written down different kinds of medicine that might come in handy, necessary personal items, and lastly, luxury items that she would snag if they had the space and the time.

She spent the next few minutes emptying their bags for the new items they would be searching for. She left a couple of cans of food, the can opener, iodine drops, and matches in each bag just in case they couldn't return to the cabin right away.

As if he could sense she was finished, Daryl walked into the cabin, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder.

"No time like the present," he mumbled before picking up his almost-empty backpack.

Beth nodded and silently looked around the cabin, praying they'd make it back and have some peace for a little while.

He took the map off the table and briefly looked it over before folding it into a neat square and stuffing it into his back pocket.

"Got your knife?" Daryl asked as they exited the cabin and took off toward the woods.

"Yup."

"Ya ready to use it if ya got to?"

Beth huffed and looked away. He knew what she was capable of. Obviously that wasn't the answer he was looking for because he stopped quickly and yanked her arm to turn her toward him.

Beth was caught off guard by the cold fear in his eyes and leaned away from him. "I don't mean walkers, Beth. Ya know they ain't the only bad thing out here. Someone comes at ya, tries to grab ya? Make 'em pay for it, ya hear?"

"Yes," she whispered and placed a hand over his on her arm. "I won't let 'em take me without a fight, Daryl."

He nodded sharply once and let go, and they resumed their path through the woods.

* * *

Daryl breathed a sigh of relief when they finally spotted the road. It turned out to be about a thirty-minute walk from the cabin, which meant they'd have easy access to towns yet be far enough away that not many people would venture out and happen upon their cabin.

They might not have many walkers that far out either, he thought with a quick flush of relief.

"Do we stay to the woods or get on the road now?" Beth's quiet question broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned her way. He hadn't meant to scare her earlier, but he knew what kind of people lay out there in this new world. He remembered vividly what Randall had described under his interrogation, and there was no way that would happen to Beth.

He'd tear apart the state to find her, and God help the person who laid their hands on her.

"The woods," he answered. "Don't wanna be out in the open yet."

They walked in silence again for a few minutes before Beth spoke. "Ya never did tell me anythin' from when you was a boy. I didn't forget, Daryl."

He smiled in spite of himself and shook his head. They'd been quiet since he let go of her arm earlier, and he could tell she was trying to stay that way. For the life of him, he didn't know why she always wanted to talk to him. She wanted his stories and jokes, and in return, she'd smile and share something about herself or her family. It was nice. Natural.

Then she'd go and bring up his childhood and he'd snap at her. He hated doing that, but it was second nature to him.

"How'd ya learn to ride a horse?" she asked when she was done waiting for him to answer himself.

Daryl tried to concentrate of the color of the leaves under his boots instead of hearing his voice answer. "Grandaddy had horses. I learned from him."

He didn't need to see her face to know she felt like she'd won a battle and was grinning ear-to-ear.

"That sounds nice. Did ya spend a lotta time with him?"

His grip on the strap of his crossbow tightened, and he nodded. "Died when I was about eight, though."

Beth placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

He shook her off and picked up the pace, looking desperately for a truck along the road so they could get out of these woods and out of this conversation. Anything about growing up made him feel like his skin was too tight.

"Did ya get to keep the horses?"

The question was completely innocent, but she went too far for him, and his voice took on a hard edge as he said, "He wasn't cold in the ground before my old man sold everythin' and lost the money as fast as he got it. Fuckin' bastard." Beth opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times before looking at the ground. "I'm done talkin' right now."

She followed silently for almost a mile before she spoke. "I had this beautiful palomino pony, Daryl." He glanced her way but didn't say a word. "My momma found her for me, and she was my tenth birthday present. I adored that horse."

He saw her swipe under eyes, but her voice didn't crack once as she told the rest of her story.

"When I was twelve, Momma died. Daddy went a little crazy, I guess. Started drinkin' all the time. Maggie was sixteen, and she took care of us. Made dinner, got us to school, paid bills if she could find the checkbook.

"One day, I got home from school, and my horse wasn't in the pasture. I ran to the barn, lookin' everywhere for her, but I couldn't find 'er anywhere. I found out later that evenin' that daddy sold her. He had a full liquor cabinet for awhile after that."

Daryl just shook his head. The Hershel he knew was a good man who'd paid his dues and suffered. He'd never thought about how Maggie and Beth had been affected during all that time. His chest ached for her, and he wished he had something to say that would make her happy again, but the truth was he didn't.

Shitty things happened sometimes. Parents failed their children more often than not. He was living proof, and so was Beth. Only difference was Hershel had changed. He'd become a better man and worked to mend his family.

Daryl's daddy had never thought about anyone but himself.

He was thankful when he spotted a truck just off the side of the road. They moved closer to it and could see the passenger door hanging open and the remains of a body in the ditch. Whoever it was wasn't getting back up, though.

It was a decent-size truck with a big bed and a dented up toolbox attached. Four-wheel drive and mud tires, too. If he could get it running, it would suit their purposes well.

Once they made sure that no walkers were lurking inside the cab, Daryl told Beth to climb in and look for keys as he searched the ground near what was left of the previous owner.

"Got 'em!"

He turned to see Beth holding up her prize.

"Prolly oughta check out the toolbox," he said as he took the keys from her. "See what we can get here, maybe throw out what we don't need."

Beth nodded, and they both climbed into the bed of the truck.

"Keep an eye out for us."

"Ya got it." She tried to pull his bow off his shoulder.

"What the hell ya think your doin'?" He laughed as he let her take it.

"Lookin' like a threat." She got all sassy with him before turning around and looking out at the road.

"Ya liable to shoot yourself before ya shoot someone else."

"They don't know that."

He laughed, his dark mood lessening with the smile on her face and the discovery of the truck.

His laughter died in throat as he turned the lock on the toolbox and the springs caused it to rise.

"Holy shit," he said in a rush before backing into Beth and knocking her off balance.

"What?"

She turned suddenly, aiming the crossbow in the direction of the toolbox.

They both stared in shock as the child, no more than five, stood from the shiny silver box.

There were no visible bite marks on its skin, but it was skinnier than any child had the right to be. Neither of them moved as it tried repeatedly to walk from the box but couldn't, as it didn't realize it needed to step over the edge to get out.

Its growls pierced the air, and Beth choked back a sob next to him.

"They tried to save her," she gasped. "They locked her up to save her." This time a tear escaped, and she handed the crossbow back to Daryl. "What do we do?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at what was once a child, but was now something else, something wrong.

"We put her out of her sufferin' and we bury 'er." Daryl's voice was barely audible as he raised his bow and took aim. "Sorry, babydoll."

After he lowered his bow, Beth wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. Daryl didn't even hear the noise the bow made as it hit the metal of the truck bed. He just encircled Beth with his arms and squeezed as tight as he dared.


	4. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

* * *

The trip into town was silent after they'd moved the little girl's body.

Beth hadn't seen Daryl so stoic since he'd come back to the prison after having killed Merle. She wasn't sure what to say to bring him out of it—or if she even could. Her heart was broken.

She'd never seen a walker that young, and she knew that the child's parents had only been trying to ensure her safety by locking her away. She and Daryl had discovered very quickly that their perfect truck was broken down and they wouldn't be able to use it. Beth wondered if the child's parents had locked her in the toolbox and tried to lead the walkers away, but just never made it back, or maybe she died, and they couldn't bring themselves to finish her off.

She shook her head and looked out the window of the small sedan they'd found a little further down the road. It wasn't as big as they wanted, but it would work until they found something else. Mostly, they just wanted to be far away from that truck and the little girl they'd had to bury under a pile of leaves because they didn't have a shovel or time to spare.

They passed the Welcome to Abbot sign, and she sat up straighter. The town was small—didn't even have a stoplight—but they spotted a hardware store just off the town square.

"We'll get our barbed wire first," Daryl said quietly. "Protectin' the cabin is the most important thing besides food."

Inside, the store was quiet. It had been ransacked long ago and there wasn't much left. There certainly weren't any walkers around because the whole building was just a bit bigger than their cabin. It didn't even have a back exit.

As she kept watch, Daryl found two spindles of barbed wire and some thick nails.

"Look for a hammer," he whispered as he moved to the next aisle.

Beth started scouring the shelves and even under them but didn't see one. By the time they met at the front of the store, Daryl's bag was full of things he thought they'd need.

"Got stuff for traps and some hooks so I can bar the door to the cabin," he said as they popped open the trunk. "I saw a sign that says they got wood in the back. We're gonna get some to board up the windows and for the door."

"I didn't find a hammer." She reached behind her back. "I did find this though." Beth held up the loaded pistol and smiled.

"I imagine one of these houses has a hammer." He pointed to the row of homes on either side of the road behind him. "We'll go through them next."

He hugged her quickly. "Damn good job on findin' that gun."

Beth thought it was odd that they hadn't see any walkers since entering the town, but she wasn't going to question it too much. She'd be happy to not see another walker for a while after what had happened earlier.

Once Daryl loaded the boards into the trunk and added some chain he'd found, he gestured to the first house on their left.

"I got the manly things." He pointed and smirked. "Let's go get your list."

She was happy for the change in mood and tried to push those unpleasant thoughts away, at least until they were safe back in their cabin.

"Food, warm clothes, medicine." Beth listed her needs with a purpose she hadn't had since the prison fell. "We need as much of it as we can get. Blankets, too."

"Let's get to it then. Ain't got all day."

The first two houses were a bust on the food front, but they managed to snag at least five blankets out of a hall closet and two nice pillows to go with them. Beth almost left the pillows, but Daryl just shrugged and threw them in the garbage sack he'd found in the kitchen.

"Might as well. Ain't no one here gonna use 'em."

With that thought in mind, Beth gave in and pulled the pretty comforter off the bed, too.

"What?" she asked when he snorted. "Like you said, no one here's gonna use it."

The third house had several items on the list, including antibiotics in one of the medicine cabinets and over-the-counter painkillers. The pantry had nearly twenty cans of food of which they hauled all out to the car in a large garbage sack.

"This shit's too good to be true," Daryl grunted as he tossed the heavy sack into the trunk. "We ain't hittin' another house here."

"What? Why?" Beth could feel her forehead scrunch up in confusion. "The next house could have better stuff!"

He slammed the trunk and leaned back against it. Beth watched as he chewed on his thumbnail and sighed, as if trying to find the words to explain something complex to her. Finally, he just broke it down in his own way.

"That next house? Yeah, it'll be stocked full of shit we need and the one after that? Damn near treasure chest, I'm guessin'. But I guaran-damn-tee you, Beth, the followin' house or the next will be full of people we don't wanna meet."

Her shoulders slumped. "What in the world? Daryl, that's the most underhanded thing I've ever heard."

He pushed off the trunk and started walking through the yard to the next house. When he got to the porch, he reached above his head and yanked down a portion of fishing line that had been concealed in space over the door.

"This here? This is lettin' 'em know how far we've come. There's been one on every door we went into. Ya just didn't notice."

Beth's eyes followed the near translucent string to the tree in front of the house and then saw where it trailed down the street through the other trees. He was right, it was clearly a warning sign for someone down the way, and she felt a rush of humiliation that she hadn't paid enough attention to her surroundings.

"Ain't I a waste of space?" She muttered to herself and opened the passenger door to get in.

They drove toward the town square again, and Beth asked, "How do ya know they were bad people?"

Daryl just shrugged. "Don't. Just ain't willing to risk ya to find out."

* * *

They sat in silence for a moment at the stop sign to the main road. Daryl handed her the map. She seemed a little pale, but he figured with all the stuff she'd seen today, it was to be expected.

If it had just been him, he'd have snuck down the street to see what those assholes had in store for trespassers. But it wasn't just him, and he had risked enough going through three houses before pulling back.

Only reason he'd let them go into the third house was because he'd seen the line on the next house and figured they had time to get in and get out before anyone actually came looking.

Joke's on those dickheads_,_ he thought as he turned to the left. He made out with their supplies, and now they had to restock the first three houses. They probably had a decent stash, anyway, based on what he and Beth had found.

"Next town?" he asked as Beth looked over the map.

She cleared her throat and scanned the area. "Harden. It's about eight miles, I'd guess."

Harden proved to be a much better town to scavenge in. There was a grocery store right on the highway. Daryl immediately pulled in and parked far away from the door.

"Get your knife out and ready," he said as he loaded his crossbow. "Don't hesitate and stay close to me. I'll do the watchin', ya throw as much stuff as ya can into that bag. When it gets full, hand it to me and we'll leave them all by the door, got it?"

Her breaths were coming out in unsteady huffs as she nodded. Daryl reached out with his free hand and turned her to face him. Without much thought, he cupped her cheek and leaned down toward her. For a moment, her eyes went wide, and then her eyelashes fluttered before he pulled back a little bit.

"Everything's gonna be all right. I ain't gonna let anythin' happen to ya."

"I'm okay," she assured him before taking a steeling breath and started to walk toward the store.

Once inside, Daryl raised his bow and nodded for her to move forward. The smell wasn't as overwhelming as it should have been, considering all the rotten produce and meat, but the doors were wide open, so that must have helped.

They went down each aisle, Beth grabbing whatever she could find and Daryl listening for anything that moved. By the third aisle, she'd filled one bag with canned food and a second with woman things, different medicines that were left on the shelf, and random things she'd thought they'd need.

He was looking behind him when he heard a door whine open. Beth straightened up and stared toward the back corner where the noise came from.

"That bag too heavy for ya?" he whispered as he backed down the aisle.

"Naw, I got it." She wrapped the end around her foreman and lifted it up.

They kept their steps light as they came to the end of the aisle, but as they looked to the right, they knew their luck had run out.

Coming straight at them from the last aisle was a steady stream of walkers, growling and stumbling in their direction, the sudden appearance of a meal giving them new life as they lumbered forward.

"Run, Beth!" Daryl shouted over the noises and raised his bow. He lowered it before he shot, though. One arrow wasn't gonna make a damn bit of difference to the ones following them, and he needed all the arrows he could get.

They took off past the checkout counters, and the walkers followed as fast as they could but bottlenecked due to the narrow lanes.

It was those few moments that probably saved their lives, Daryl thought as he grabbed their bag of food by the door and took off for the car.

He watched as Beth ran a few paces ahead of him. She was struggling with her bag, but she'd get there. He threw his bag in the backseat, opened the driver's side door, and hopped in. Beth slammed the back door after dumping her bag inside and letting its contents spill over the backseat and floorboard.

"C'mon, woman!" Daryl yelled as the walkers got closer. They'd be on the car in a few seconds. He looked toward them, but Beth's scream caused him to jump and quickly looked toward the passenger window.

A walker he hadn't seen had her arm, but before he could even get out to do anything, the herd hit his door, blocking him in.

The next few seconds passed by so slowly as he felt his heart skip and watched as the walker gnashed his teeth and leaned for Beth's wrist at the same time as she put a blade through his skull.

Daryl couldn't breathe or think as she pushed the dead walker away with all her strength and then stumbled, opened the door, and slammed it shut as the walkers converged on her side of the car, too.

"Go!" she yelled as she hunched over in her seat before sobbing loudly.

He didn't need to be told twice. He cranked the engine and sped forward, clipping two walkers in the process.

"Ya bit?" he asked frantically as he pulled onto the highway, heading back in the direction of their cabin. When she didn't answer, he grabbed her shoulder with one hand and practically yelled, "Christ, answer me! Are ya bit, Beth?"

She turned toward him then, her face splattered with little flecks of black blood, her trembling hands coated with the stuff, as was her knife on the floor.

"I'm not bit. He didn't bite me. Oh my God, he almost got me, Daryl. Oh my God." Her breath was coming out far to fast, and he wanted to calm her down, but he needed to get away from Harden as fast as he could.

"Calm down, sweetheart." His voice was as relaxed as he could muster, given how fast his heart was beating. "Everything's okay. Ya took down that sonofabitch good. Ain't never been prouder of ya, baby."

If she noticed the tone of his voice or the terms of endearment he used, he couldn't tell. His gaze flicked between the road and Beth as he tried to ease his own panic. She was fine. No bites, no scratches, no cuts. She took down a walker, and they got their supplies.

Daryl took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out through his mouth before pressing the gas harder.

* * *

She wasn't sure how many times she'd washed her face or scrubbed her hands in the shower. All she knew was when she looked in the small mirror on the bathroom wall, her cheeks were raw.

Beth still shook a little, but she'd calmed down a lot since they got back. Daryl had sent her straight inside while he unloaded the car. It was after dark when they got back to the cabin because they'd had to push the car out of the mud three times when he drove it off road and into the woods.

He'd cursed up a storm about how he'd have to cover up the tracks in the morning but smirked when he pulled up to the cabin and told her to get inside and get cleaned up. "Ain't gonna share a bed when ya got walker blood all over ya."

Without a doubt, she knew he was trying to alleviate some of the tension caused by the attack, but she flushed anyway at the thought of him holding her again.

She walked out of the bathroom and saw all the bags and supplies in the middle of the floor as Daryl sorted through piles.

A chair was already stuck under the door and on the bed was the new comforter she'd taken from the house in Abbott, along with the extra pillows.

"Go on, lay down." He motioned her to the bed and kept sorting stuff.

She did as he said and curled up under the blankets.

Beth must have fallen asleep because the next time she woke up, Daryl's arm was around her waist and her back was to his bare chest. She gave a shuddering sigh and snuggled back against him.

Turns out even after the day they had, it wasn't hard to fall asleep when his arms were wrapped around her.


	5. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

* * *

The next morning, Beth woke up first. As quietly as she could, she moved out from under Daryl's protective hold before tiptoeing to the bathroom. When she went back out to the main area of the cabin, she realized Daryl must not have gotten far into sorting things the night before.

Everything was still in piles on the floor. She made her way to the food cans and scanned them quickly before choosing pork and beans for breakfast and got the fire burning higher in the stove.

With Daryl still sound asleep in bed, she went through the medicine bag and started organizing it all on the table. They'd done really well yesterday, considering how it all ended. They wouldn't have to go out for food for at least a month, especially if Daryl could hunt some for them and they were able to gather enough warm clothes and blankets from the houses to keep them comfortable when it got colder.

She heard the floor creak softly before his arms encircled her waist and he leaned his forehead on her shoulder.

Beth didn't know what to say, but she knew that it would be best to not directly question the affection. Nothing would scare Daryl Dixon off faster than a direct question as to his motives. So she just enjoyed the feel of him around her and brought a hand to cover his on her stomach.

"Never been so scared in my life, Beth," he said against the skin of her neck, and she fought back the urge to shiver. "Can't lose you."

He pulled away slowly and let his calloused hands rest on her hips a moment before he walked to the chair where his shirt was hanging and shrugged it on.

She was sure she was blushing, but she stared anyway as he buttoned up the sleeveless flannel he wore all the time and put his vest and jacket over it.

The moment seemed heavy for some reason, and Beth knew this meant things had changed between them; even if it was in a little way, it still seemed big.

She didn't think twice; she walked to him, stood on her tiptoes, and softly brushed her lips against his before taking his top lip between her own.

Beth felt the subtle pressure of his lips against hers, but instead of deepening the kiss, he took a step back.

He stared at her for just a second, his blue eyes flashing with a dark intensity before he looked away.

She smiled in spite of his reaction and moved to the stove. Beth knew enough about Daryl to understand it wasn't rejection that made him move away; he just needed time to think. That man had too much going on in his head most of the time, and she was sure she just sent him into overload with that small kiss.

"Wanna eat a little somethin' before ya head out?" She asked sweetly, ignoring the fact that he was tying up his boots as quickly as he could. She'd hit his fightorflight button and thought it was a bit silly how she could do that to him. He always seemed so impenetrable.

"Naw, I need to take care of those tracks," he muttered.

She didn't beg him to stay. Instead, she grabbed a small Tupperware container she'd taken from the grocery store, poured his portion of food in it, and then sealed the lid.

"Take this at least." Beth held it out between them, not moving any closer.

Daryl took three hesitant steps toward her and let his fingers brush hers as he took the container from her hand.

He cleared his throat and asked, "Where's my spoon?"

Beth smiled as she saw one side of his mouth quirk up in a cute half-grin.

"Now you and I both know ya don't eat with a spoon most of that time anyway. Ain't losin' our utensils by sendin' 'em out in the woods with ya."

He laughed quietly and put his food in his pack. "Fair 'nough."

Daryl leaned against the open door for a moment, watching her move around the stove and table. Normally, she'd have felt self-conscious, but she really liked his eyes on her.

"Just stay in here, and I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Beth sat at the table with her food and smiled at him. "Don't worry about me. I ain't goin' anywhere today." He was almost out the door when she spoke again. "Take care of yourself, Daryl."

"Will do."

For the next few hours, Beth organized the food and medicine into the different cabinets and stacked all of Daryl's supplies from the hardware store on the table. She let her hand brush over the hammer he'd found in the first house's garage the day before. His self-satisfied smile when he held it up flashed through her mind and she laughed softly to herself.

She had it bad.

Around lunch time—at least she imagined it was lunch time—Daryl walked through the door, covered in mud and looking murderous.

"Ya okay?" She walked quickly over to him, but he raised his hand to warn her off.

"Fine."

"What happened?" Beth looked him up and down, stunned.

He grabbed his pack with his extra clothes and walked to the bathroom without answering her. Beth followed, ignoring his obvious aggravation.

"C'mon, what happened?" she asked again, this time a little more playfully.

As he was shutting the door, he faced her and shrugged. "I fell, okay?" His voice was colored with embarrassment.

Beth didn't like to make him feel self-conscious, so she just nodded. "I'll wash your clothes. Bring 'em out when you're done."

The door closed in her face, but she knew wasn't mad at her.

Now she'd do what she did best—take care of him.

* * *

It wasn't often that Daryl found himself flat on his ass and the few times it had happened, it hadn't been his fault. At that moment though, that's exactly where he found himself.

He lay there for minute and stared at the clear, blue sky through the trees above his head. For a moment, it was peaceful, and he could imagine he'd just been walking through the woods on a hunt.

It wasn't, though, and he found himself gently rubbing two fingers across his top lip and smiling to himself.

She'd made the first move, and he was equal parts stunned and scared. It just proved he was right about her feelings for him, and that meant he'd need to try and push her away to keep her at arms' length.

He wasn't a ladies' man by any means, but his relationships thus far had been few, far between, and one-time deals. He didn't like anyone—especially women—to see his back, so dark, drunken encounters were the norm.

Daryl picked himself off the ground and purposely focused on anything else but him and Beth in bed.

Another half hour went by and he was satisfied with the covering up he'd done, so he made his way back to the cabin. He was going to get cleaned up and then go out hunting. Beth needed something more substantial than a can of beans for dinner, and truthfully, so did he.

Deer season was upon them, and he crossed his fingers that he'd kill one soon.

He avoided Beth's questions as best he could, showered, and put on a fresh set of clothes before looking at the supplies on the table. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten about fortifying the cabin. His head was a mess. He knew getting out in the woods and hunting would clear it up a bit, but he couldn't leave Beth unprotected, so it would have to wait.

"I'm gonna fence up the yard first. It's gonna take the most time."

She looked up from the sink where she was cleaning off his jacket as gently as she could. "Do ya need any help?"

Daryl shook his head and picked up the barbed wire and thick work gloves off the table. "Naw, baby, I got it." He closed his eyes briefly at his slip before putting the hammer and some bracket nails in his pocket.

"Okay. If ya change your mind, ya know where to find me," Beth said as she continued cleaning the dried mud off his clothes. "I'm gonna go to the creek in a minute to wash out your jeans."

"Take your knife."

He was out the door before he heard her response.

Maybe he just needed to work himself ragged so his mind would quit spinning.

She watched him out the window over the sink as he cursed and pulled the barbed wire as tight as he could around the trees. He started about chest high and double wrapped it around each tree trunk before putting bracket nails in to hold it down.

Daryl seemed to get the hang of it pretty fast, and soon he was nearly halfway around the cabin.

Beth picked up his dirty jeans and a bar of laundry soap she'd taken from the grocery store before the walkers had shown up, and made her way out of the cabin toward the creek. He paused when she appeared but quickly went back to his work.

After having a few hours to herself earlier, she'd decided she'd let him work things out in his own time before attempting any more kisses. She loved when he touched her or hugged her to him or even called her something sweet without realizing it.

Things might be moving forward a bit slowly, but that was fine. Out here in the cabin, she actually felt like they had time to work through it.

The cold water was a shock to her hands as she dunked the material of his jeans in the creek. As she held them under and scrubbed, she turned her head around to watch as he started the second row of their fence.

It was going to be a pretty substantial barrier, especially with the trees acting as the posts. As long as they checked it daily to keep it tight, it would hold up against the walkers. Maybe if a few got stuck, she and Daryl could stab them in the head and leave them around the area.

She knew the smell of walker blood and dead walkers masked humans, so it wasn't a bad idea. Beth decided she'd mention it to Daryl later, but she was pretty sure he'd already thought of it. He always seemed a few paces ahead of everyone else when it came to surviving.

After she had gotten rid of all the dirt on his jeans, she grabbed her soap and started back to the cabin, crawling under the third level of barbed wire that came to her knees.

"I'ma do one more around the top," he told her as he nailed down another section of wire to the tree near her. "I don't wanna go too low, though, 'cause we need to get in and out fast, and walkers are too stupid to go under anyway."

"Good with me." She pushed against a section of the fence and smiled at him. "Ya made this pretty strong. I think it'll keep 'em out."

She could swear he blushed a little, but she didn't draw attention to it. Beth just walked forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, making sure to keep his wet pants away from his back.

"Thank ya," she whispered before pulling back.

A mumbled "You're welcome" was all she heard before she started toward the cabin.

She was almost up the steps when he called out to her.

"Thank ya, too. Ya know"—he nodded toward the jeans in her hands—"for takin' care of my mess. Ya didn't have to."

Beth just bit her bottom lip to hide her smile before she shook her head. "I like takin' care of ya, Daryl."

He didn't respond, but he also didn't take his eyes off of her until the door shut and she was out of sight.

* * *

Later that night, after he'd boarded up the main window on the outside and the inside, as well as nailed the hooks into the door to support the wood beams meant to add more support if walkers got that far, he put away all the supplies he'd taken from the hardware store. Beth had set aside two cabinets for his haul, and he was hit again with how thoughtful she was when it came to him.

Beth had lain down for the night a several minutes before, and without much thought, he stripped out of his flannel button up and dropped his jeans across the chair near his side of the bed.

Like the night before, she'd fallen asleep quickly, so he scooted behind her, completely ignoring the jumbled thoughts that told him not to, and pulled her to his chest.

If this was his reward for all the things he'd done since this shit had happened, he wasn't going to question it. Daryl wasn't giving in fully yet, but he allowed himself this little bit of peace each night, wrapped around Beth.

He knew it was just a matter of time before he gave in completely, and as he drifted off to sleep, he found that thought didn't bother him at all.


	6. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

* * *

Beth wasn't surprised to wake up and find Daryl gone the next morning. He'd taken care of fortifying the cabin, so she figured he'd finally gone to hunt.

She prayed he'd find something. They'd both lost a lot of weight since they'd been on the run and desperately needed meat in their diet. Beth wished there was some way to preserve it to last for longer than a couple of days, but if there was, she didn't know how to do it and neither did Daryl. If he did, they'd have saved at the prison when they had extra.

As she sat at the table, eating some leftover beans from the night before, she felt odd. There wasn't anything for her to do today. She'd already put everything away as best she could the day before, and she'd straightened up the bed as soon as she woke up.

Maybe she could wash some clothes?

She sighed and finished eating. At the prison, there was always something to do, and most of her time was spent caring for Judith. Beth thought about her sweet grins, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"No use thinkin' of that." She swiped the wetness off her cheeks and stood up.

After she cleaned out her bowl, she gathered up clothes. Her undergarments were in desperate need of a wash, and the two shirts she had left since leaving the prison were never going to be truly clean again, but she was going to wash them anyway.

She picked up a few of Daryl's things as well before heading to the creek.

As she dumped all the clothes over the barbed wire fence, she decided that the next time they made a run, she was going to hunt down a laundry basket. Hauling around wet, cold clothes wasn't going to be fun, and tossing them in the leaves to get back inside the fence was just going to make her mad after she'd scrubbed them.

With that thought, she ran back to the cabin and brought back a garbage sack. It might not have been a basket, but at least it would keep her clean clothes from getting thrown in the dirt.

At the edge of the creek, Beth kneeled down with the clothes beside her. It would take her some time to get through all of them, and she was glad to have her hands busy.

The water almost lulled her into a trance, and she thought of her father and how he always requested her to sing when he was feeling down. Without making a conscience decision, she began to sing his favorite songs.

* * *

Daryl knew she hadn't heard him approach, so he just sat down at the base of the nearest tree and listened. For a moment, he didn't worry about skinning his kill or what their next move would be. He just leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.

Truth was, he never felt more at peace than when he was listening to her soft, lilting singing voice. He'd lied to himself last night; he'd already given in completely to her. She was the most important thing in his world.

Like the day before, he pretended that everything wasn't a mess for a little while—that he and Beth were here because it was their home and they were happy. Daryl imagined her daddy wasn't dead and he hadn't had to kill his own brother— a future was possible for them here in this little piece of paradise.

"If ya didn't look so comfortable, I might be a little upset at how ya scared me just now."

He lifted one eyelid and peeked over at her before closing it again and smiling.

"I ain't ever seen ya really mad, woman. I don't think ya got it in ya."

He heard her scoff and then water splashed before the droplets hit his face.

"Don't test me, Dixon."

Daryl dragged his hand over his cheek and laughed, leaning back against the tree again.

"Sing a bit more?" he asked quietly.

Beth was silent for a moment before asking, "Anythin' in particular?"

"Naw, whatever ya want."

He sat and listened to her sing until she was all done with the laundry, and then he carried the sack full of clean clothes back to the cabin for her .

Once they reached the porch, Daryl went inside and looked through his cabinets for a few things. When he came back out, Beth was carefully draping clean clothes over the railing to dry.

Without a word to her, he hammered a nail into one of the porch beams then added another nail on the other side of the porch. Beth moved out of his way as he strung a piece of plain wire between the two nails and pulled it as taut as he could.

"Ain't much," he said and shrugged. "I'll get ya somethin' better next run. Put it out in the yard for ya so we don't take our heads off walkin' out the door."

"I feel like all I say to ya is thank ya, Daryl."

"Ya just remember how thankful ya are next time you start gettin' sassy and throwin' water at me." He felt awkward and out of place, so he just grabbed his game off the steps and walked around back.

He might not be able to flirt correctly, but he could prove he cared about her in other ways.

* * *

The next week or so passed in a similar fashion as that day.

Daryl checked his traps or hunted and Beth stayed close to the cabin. They had a few walkers wander up, but like she'd thought, either she or Daryl took care of them and then left them around the perimeter. When Beth had jokingly mentioned getting a few walkers like Michonne had, he snapped a little.

"Ain't keepin' no fuckin' pets chained to trees. Ya know how much risk ya run tryin' to do that to one of them without a sword like hers? Shit, I ain't jumpin' on the back of no walker doin' that with just a buck knife."

Beth had huffed and turned away. "I was just kiddin'. I don't want no walkers around here like that."

He stopped skinning the rabbit he'd caught and looked in her direction. "It's a good way of keepin' them away from us, Beth, but I ain't gonna risk either of us gettin' bit for it. They keep others from noticin' us whether they're movin' around or dead anyway."

She hummed and went inside.

Daryl sighed loudly and went back to work on the rabbit. At least they'd have a good meal later, he thought, even if it was a quiet one.

It wasn't quiet, though.

Beth told him a story about her and Maggie from right before everything went to hell. They'd snuck out of the house and gone to a concert in Atlanta, but it was so late when they had started home that both of them were tired and almost falling asleep. Maggie had swerved while driving through a town about thirty miles from home and got pulled over.

"He actually called our daddy right then! I thought we'd both die from embarrassment, but he just said that if it were his daughters, he'd hope the cop would do the same thing. Then he waited with us until Daddy showed up. It was four in the morning and he was spittin' mad." He laughed out loud with her, picturing Hershel getting that phone call. "Me and Maggie lost car privileges the rest of the summer. Lucky for us, too, because that's when all the walkers started showin' up. We never had a chance to get infected because we were locked up at the farm."

Daryl lifted up his tin cup of water and said, "To that cop and his code. Without it, Miss Trouble here wouldn't be with me right now."

Beth rolled her eyes and tapped her cup to his. "And to Merle Dixon for makin' sure his baby brother stuck to the woods."

He'd mentioned that briefly several months ago in the prison when someone asked him where he spent the first few weeks of the outbreak before finding Shane and the others in the original group. Daryl cleared his throat to get rid of the lump there before tapping her cup again.

"Thank God for that ol' bastard." He took a sip of water and met Beth's eyes. "Don't talk about Merle much, but he was a good man when he wanted to be. Might not have given a shit about much, but he did care a little about me. I owe him for that."

Later that night, they lay in bed together, whispering quietly about random things. He loved the feel of her head on his chest and her fingers tracing patterns on his skin. It wouldn't be much longer before he gathered up enough to courage to turn his head and lay one on her.

"Tomorrow, I'm gonna check the fences and warm up some water from the tap so I can wash my hair and not freeze under that shower," she whispered, her words skimmed his skin as she spoke.

He pulled her to him tighter and kissed the top of her head, letting himself nuzzle her hair a little.

"Tomorrow, I'm gonna go and get ya a deer."

She snuggled into his side and he felt her grin.

He'd hated leaving her that morning, but he had a promise to keep.

It took him nearly an hour before he spotted some tracks and picked up a trail. As quietly as he could manage, he followed the prints for nearly two more hours before he saw the small doe in a clearing.

Daryl didn't dare breathe as he lined up a shot. When he pulled the trigger and his arrow flew, he knew he was going to hit his mark. His woman was going to have a good meal that night, and he felt a rush of relief.

He walked out into the clearing and followed the blood trail a little ways before he found the animal breathing unsteadily.

"Sorry." He ran his knife across its throat, ending its struggle. "Thank ya."

He almost laughed at his actions, but thinking about world nowadays made him appreciate every life more.

"What do we have here, boys?" A gruff voice took him by surprise.

He turned to see a group of men making their way through woods toward him and his kill. One man strode forward, clutching a bow in his hand.

"What the fuck ya doing, boy? That's my deer."

Daryl stood up, crossbow hanging dangerously as his side. "the fuck you say? My arrow, my kill, asshole."

He met the man in the middle of the clearing. Daryl looked over him and decided that he was someone he would have hated in his life before—and his reactions were usually spot-on.

"Now, Len, we can settle this like civilized people." The leader, he assumed, pointed at Daryl. "This man just doesn't know the rules."

"Name's Joe." His hair and beard were long and graying. He had on a leather vest and flannel shirt, and judging by appearances alone, Daryl might have known him once upon a time. But no longer

"Daryl." He grunted out and took a step back toward the deer. "This is mine," he said, pointing down at the doe.

All the men laughed, but he just stared at them, his face blank.

"You're almost right." Joe walked over, pulled the arrow out of the deer, and pushed the arrow across Daryl's chest. His voice was sharp and his eyes begged Daryl to disagree with him. "Claimed."

* * *

Beth was starting to get very worried. Daryl had mentioned it might take a while to track and find a deer, but he promised he'd be home before dark.

She'd eaten dinner by herself on the porch as the sunset and then went inside and barred the door. No matter what, Daryl wouldn't want her out after dark, and he wouldn't want her to leave the door unprotected if he wasn't there.

From her position on the bed, she stared at the door, willing a knock to come, but it never did.

In the morning, she woke in an awkward position across the bed. Tears clouded her vision.

Daryl wouldn't have willingly left her alone, she knew that much. She also couldn't believe that he'd been killed, either.

With her heart in her throat, she dressed, took the beams from the door, and stepped outside. There was one walker leaning against the fence, and she knew she needed to take care of it herself. The fence would hold if she let it stay there, but she couldn't hide inside just because Daryl wasn't back yet.

She felt for her knife on her hip and walked quickly across the yard. The walker looked toward her and growled, leaning against the barbed wire and tearing its cheek apart.

Without breaking her stride, she swung the blade up and pierced the walker's jaw straight through to its brain. One swift pull back and she had black blood on her hand and blade. The walker slumped to the ground, and Beth went back to the porch.

She waited all day for Daryl's return, but as the sun sank low again, she was forced inside by both the darkness and the biting wind.

Once indoors, she cleaned off her hands and her knife. It wasn't until she undressed and starting tugging on the long-sleeve flannel Daryl had worn the day before he left that she realized her hands were shaking.

She snuggled into their bed and hugged his pillow.

Then she let her tears fall.


	7. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

* * *

There wasn't a damn thing he could do.

The group had surrounded him and his kill, and all he could do was hope they'd leave him alive so he could get home.

Fuck the deer. If they wanted it, they could have it. There was no way he was leaving Beth alone after all the shit they'd been through.

"Fine, man. Take the fuckin' deer." He slung his bow over his shoulder and backed up. "Don't need no trouble with y'all."

The leader laughed and motioned for a guy to start dragging the deer aside. "We ain't got a problem. Go on, boy, clean your catch."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at the man and took a step forward before reining in his temper. He was madder than he'd ever been.

"Ya deaf?" he asked Daryl, smirking a little. "Clean the fuckin' deer."

He was pushed from behind and stumbled a little toward the animal.

"Ya want it, ya clean it," he said and turned away again.

"Teach him a lesson about respect, boys."

Daryl dodged the first punch and landed one against the man's ribs. He was no match for seven though, and soon his was on his back, blood trickling down his split lip.

"Clean the deer."

With a deep breath that killed his ribs, he rolled over and stood up before walking over and kneeling down next to the deer.

They watched and joked as he prepared the deer for them. His blood was boiling by the time he was finished. Never before had he felt like such a pussy.

"Coulda hung the sonofabitch up for me," he muttered and wiped his hands on his jeans.

Daryl was pushed again, and he couldn't stop himself as he turned on his heel and landed a solid right on the man's jaw. Before he could cause more damage, his arms were restrained behind his back and fists landed on his stomach.

They tossed him aside and Joe leaned down into his face. "Get off your ass; you're comin' with us."

"Fuck you." He coughed as he spit blood. Bastards fucked up his ribs good.

Everyone laughed and started walking away as Joe crouched down beside him.

"Ya see, Daryl, we could use your services for the next couple of days. Ya seem like a decent tracker, and me and my men—we're lookin' for someone. Why should we waste our energy when we can waste yours?" He clapped a hand on Daryl's shoulder and stood up. "Ya got a camp around here?"

Daryl kept his face blank as he stared at the man.

"Got a woman?" He felt his jaw twitch, and Joe saw it. "Ya do? We might not be as good as ya with trackin', but ya fuck with us and we'll kill ya and find that camp, ya understand me?"

All he could do was nod and try to stand.

"We don't have much nowadays, but I'll give ya my word; ya help us and we'll leave ya alone. Ya gotta play by the rules, though, and they're simple. Don't lie to me, and if ya see something ya want, all ya gotta do is say 'claimed' and it's yours." He laughed without any humor and added threateningly, "That woman ya got? She ain't yours yet. I'd watch your ass with these boys. They ain't had pussy in a long time."

His fists clenched and his hands trembled as he followed Joe and the others to their camp.

That evening, he sat around a fire with men he hated and ate a portion of deer meat that should have been Beth's. He prayed, for the first time in a long time, that she was all right and that she'd stay at the cabin until he got back.

Since he didn't play their game with that "claimed" bullshit, he was furthest from the fire. He shivered against the cold ground and palmed his knife. It was going against everything in his nature to not fight back, but he couldn't put Beth at risk. He'd play his part to get them off his back, and first chance he got, he was attacking.

* * *

The next day, a kick to his already bruised ribs was his wake up call.

"Mothafucker," he groaned and rolled over.

"Get ya ass up. We gotta go." The man named Len used the toe of his boot to turn him over.

Daryl tried hard not to show the pain he was feeling as he grabbed his bow and stood to face the rest of the group. Joe nodded in his direction and waved him over. Instead of flipping him off like he wanted, he walked across their camp and stood in front of the asshole.

"Ya gotta get us some food, boy. Better start trackin'."

Daryl dipped his head down and bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood before turning away and taking off through the woods.

Several hours later, he had three rabbits and four squirrels, which he dropped at Joe's feet.

"There ya go."

He barely made it out of the clearing where they'd stopped before he heard them start following him. Daryl walked a bit faster, gripping the strap of his bow and looking for a way to lose them.

Wasn't no way he was getting away. Nothing but woods, and the ground was still so muddy even Beth could have tracked him if she wanted.

"What the fuck y'all want?" He turned on his heel, and the men stopped a few paces away. "I gotcha food. Get off my dick, all right?"

Joe held up the game and smiled. "We'll need somewhere to eat these later, won't we?"

Daryl's blood turned to ice as he realized what they meant to do.

"Ain't got no place for ya," he said as strongly as he could.

A sickly looking man with a goatee spit in his direction and snorted. "Ya can find somethin'."

He turned his gaze back to Joe who was smirking and pulling a cigarette from his pocket. "Ya ain't got much of choice. We're gonna follow ya, and ya can't kill all of us. We just wanna place to stay for the night, Daryl."

They didn't make it back to the cabin that night though. Out of nowhere a herd of walkers, stumbled upon them. After killing a few and shoving one of Joe's men into the arms of a few walkers, Daryl turned and ran. The others followed closely behind him and at first he was worried that they saw what he had done. They didn't though. They were too caught up with the walkers to notice.

When they got far enough away, the men that were left climbed trees and waited as the herd passed under them.

They were heading the opposite direction of the cabin, so maybe Beth hadn't seen them, he thought to himself.

As the sun rose a few hours later, he made his way down the tree. Joe dropped to the ground a few feet away, and three other men walked toward them. Out of eight men, Joe had lost four. That was huge hit for him, and Daryl couldn't help but wonder what it might mean for him.

"How far until your place, Daryl?"

"Don't really know. Got all turned around last night."

Joe rolled his neck before speaking, "Ya better walk fast, then, because I ain't sleeping in a fuckin' tree tonight."

The tone of his words made Daryl pause for a moment and look over the man. For the first time since they met, he didn't see Joe as a threat. He was old, slow, and tired. Daryl nodded and started in the direction he knew the cabin to be. Worse came to worst, he'd put an arrow through their heads as they slept.

* * *

Once he found the creek, he knew they'd arrive soon. He hoped Beth was inside and the door was barred; he prayed the herd hadn't come close to their cabin the night before.

He shook his head when he heard her voice. Of course she wouldn't be locked inside like he wanted.

"Ya hear that?" one of the younger guys asked quietly.

"I'll be damned," the other one muttered when Beth came into view.

She was outside the barbed wire fence, and it looked like she was checking one of the nails closest to the ground.

"She's claimed." His voice was hard as he turned to stare at the four men behind him.

"Fuck that. She ain't claimed yet." The man who spoke first started to walk forward and Daryl pushed him back and took off toward Beth.

* * *

She heard footsteps and turned to see him striding toward her. Relief overtook her body, and she felt like she could breathe again.

Beth looked him over quickly and thanked God he had no visible injuries. When she met his eyes again, she paused at the look on his face, and then a rush of adrenaline shot through her chest. She'd only seen that look once before, and she prayed it meant he was about to do what she thought he would.

His hands slid up her arms, across her collarbones, and settled on each side of her face. Beth's heart skipped as he leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against hers before meeting them again in a punishing kiss. She froze for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her fingers tangle in his hair, pulling softly.

This kiss wasn't at all like the one they'd shared a couple of weeks ago. That one had been hesitant and a little shy, especially since she'd instigated it. This kiss was brutal and rough. His lips slanted against hers, and he pushed his tongue into her mouth, groaning when she met him with the same force.

When he started to pull back, she lightly bit his bottom lip before giggling softly.

Daryl's intense blue eyes caused her to freeze in place. She expected declarations of love or something equally heartwarming, but the single word that came out of his mouth confused her. She tilted her head to the side as he turned around and that confusion disappeared as she came face-to-face with a group of men that Merle Dixon would have felt right at home with.

Daryl said it louder this time, pushing her behind him. "Claimed."

The older, haggard-looking man leered in her direction, and she gripped the leather of Daryl's jacket.

"Ain't gonna challenge ya." His voice was rough, and the other men nodded but didn't look pleased.

"Get in the house," Daryl whispered.

She didn't wait for him to say it twice; she slipped under the fence and walked fast to the front porch.

Once inside, she leaned against the wall and put a hand to her mouth to muffle her sob. She was so happy that he was back and all right. Beth let herself feel that relief for a few more seconds before she started to worry about the men that were with him.

Daryl wouldn't have brought them anywhere near her of his own free will, which meant they'd threatened him in some way.

She peeked out the window over the sink and saw that they'd come into the yard and were walking around front. She used the small space between the boards to look out the front window and saw them setting down their packs and kicking leaves to make a circle in the dirt.

It wouldn't be long before it was dark, and they were preparing for it.

She watched as Daryl shook his head and crossed his arms. The leader held his arms out from his body and smiled.

Beth really hated his smile. There was something evil about it.

Daryl shook his head again and took a step back. The other men laughed at something the leader said, and Daryl walked up the porch steps and opened the door. Beth jumped away from the window, and as soon as the door clicked shut, she had her arms wrapped around him.

"I was so worried," she whispered against his chest, relishing the squeeze of his arms around her. "What happened?"

He led her over to the bed and sat down on the edge, keeping both her hands in his. It took him several seconds, but soon the whole story spilled out.

"Are ya all right?" she asked when he was finished. Beth didn't wait for his answer, though. She unbuttoned his shirt and looked over the purple-black splotches on his skin.

"I'll be fine." He slid off his jacket and then his vest and worn-out flannel. Daryl leaned back against his pillow and groaned. "Said they're gonna leave in the mornin'. Don't know if they're bullshittin' me or not, though. Seems like they keep changin' their minds when they're gonna leave me alone."

Beth got up and walked across the room, barring the door as she spoke. "What do ya mean? Ya think they're gonna stay?"

Daryl shrugged and closed his eyes. "Don't know. I think they're gonna try and get me to do more for 'em."

Beth made her way back to the bed and lay down as close to him as she could. "What are we gonna do?"

"_We _ain't gonna do anything. _I'll_ do whatever it takes to get 'em away from here."

Her heart started beating frantically as she understood his meaning. "You're not gonna leave me here, are ya?"

"That's the last thing I wanna do, baby."

She rested her arm lightly over his stomach and sighed. Neither spoke for a long time, and she thought maybe Daryl had fallen asleep, but he raised his hand to hers and let their fingers twine together.

"Things are different now," he said quietly.

Beth rose up and kissed the side of his neck, whispering against his skin. "Things have been different for a while."

He rolled on his side to face her. Slowly, he traced his fingers over her cheek and into her hair. "Ya sure this is what ya want?" He cleared his throat and flicked his eyes down before meeting her gaze again. "That I'm what ya want?"

There was a moment his eyes looked wary, and her heart hurt that he thought she'd reject him.

"Absolutely." She pressed a small kiss to his lips.

"Ya can do better." It was his turn to move in and take her lips. The hand that was tangled in her hair locked her in place, and his tongue traced her lower lip before taking it between both of this. Daryl pulled back and Beth leaned forward, chasing his kiss. "I'm not gonna complain, though. I'm yours as long as you'll have me."

Beth felt her smile overtake her features as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tried to roll him over. He shook his head and smirked. "Think ya can manhandle me because I'm injured?" His forearms were on either side of her head as he braced himself over her. "Ya want me on top ya, just gotta say so."

She ran her hands over his back, tracing the scars before sliding up his neck and into his hair. His eyes closed at the feel of her hands on him, and she couldn't help but think he looked years younger when he relaxed a little or when he gave her that halfway grin.

He dipped his head down, and his shaggy hair fell over his eyes, so she moved one hand around, caressing his cheek before running her fingers through the strands and pushing them back.

The slight tug of his hair seemed to set him off, and he crushed his lips to hers like he'd done earlier. Beth moaned into his mouth as his upper body pressed her into the bed.

She couldn't think as he moved his kisses across her jaw and down her neck. When he reached the spot just under her ear, he bit down lightly, and her whole body was suddenly on fire.

"God, Daryl." Beth turned her head further and pressed her hands to his head, keeping him in place. He sucked her skin and then traced his tongue over the same spot before biting down again.

Her stomach clenched with each pass of his lips, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, tilting her hips to meet his. When his hardness brushed against the center of her jeans, she gasped and threw back her head, closing off his access to the spot on her neck he'd been marking.

There was loud laughing from outside that snapped Daryl out of his lust-induced daze and he pulled back.

They really hadn't done anything yet, but he was breathing heavily and his face was flushed. She was that she looked the same way. He studied her face before he leaned his head against her shoulder, placing a soft kiss against the skin she knew was bruised.

"Ain't gonna do this with them outside," he said against her neck.

She pushed his shoulders, and he leaned back. When she could see his face again, her forehead creased in irritation. "Ya serious? After everythin', we're gonna stop now?"

Daryl reached back and untangled her legs before rolling to the side and throwing an arm over his face. Beth looked down, seeing the outline of his hard shaft through his jeans, and felt completely confused.

"This ain't right," he mumbled. "Beth, baby, this ain't how it happens. Not with those pricks right outside."

Beth felt an overwhelming surge of confidence, and before she could back down, she sat up and yanked her shirt over her head, leaving her bare from the waist up before him. But his arm was still in place and he wasn't looking at her.

She stood up and dropped the jeans to the floor before getting back on the bed and straddling his waist.

That got his attention. He dropped his arm away and opened his eyes, taking in her almost-naked form.

Beth flushed all the way down her chest as he stared wide-eyed at her breasts.

She almost crossed her arms to cover up, but Daryl sat up fast, wincing as he did, and trapped her against his chest.

"Damn, woman," he said harshly against her lips. "It's supposed to be special, ain't it?"

Beth laughed nervously. "Am I gonna have to say somethin' cheesy like it's special 'cause it's you?" She leaned forward and kissed up his neck before sucking gently on the lobe of his ear.

It took all his strength, but he pulled back again.

"I'm a sure bet, baby, I swear to ya. I ain't that strong to stop it from happenin', and God knows how badly I want ya, Beth." He kissed her again, savoring the softness of her lips. "But it ain't gonna happen tonight. Not with everythin' up in the air and those guys out there, waitin' for us to fuck up."

"You're mine?" Beth asked against his lips and smiled.

"Ain't much, but it's all yours."

"I guess I'll take that for now."

Daryl kissed her and sighed.

"I'm yours, too, ya know? Even back at the prison, I knew that in my own way."

Daryl didn't what to say to that, but he felt so powerful knowing that this woman had had her sights set on him for so long. He wanted her, too, but never even thought it was possible.

He wasn't sure what would happen in the morning, but he knew without a doubt he'd do whatever he had to do to keep her safe.

"Go on to sleep." He lay back on the bed and pulled her to his chest, relishing the feel of her skin on his.

She slept soundly that night, and he kept a hand on his bow by the side of the bed at all times.


	8. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

* * *

Beth opened her eyes and stretched, smiling to herself the entire time. She knew Daryl was already outside because she'd heard him leave a few minutes earlier. She sat up in the bed and held the covers to her chest before flopping back against her pillow.

She lay there for a little while, wondering what was about to happen to them, then dressed and ate some canned green beans that Daryl had left on the stove. Beth decided it would be best to stay inside. She didn't want to walk out there and cause any issues, and after Daryl explained the "claimed" rule, she really didn't want them looking at her.

Instead, she peeked out the crack between the boards on the porch window.

They were all sitting around a fire, heating up a couple of cans of food.

Beth watched Daryl as he listened intently to the gray-haired man. She could tell by his tense posture that whatever was being said wasn't what he wanted to hear.

The conversation lasted several more minutes before he stood up and walked back into the cabin.

He looked over at her when he closed the door, and his shoulders lost their tense posture.

"You're so damn beautiful."

She could feel the blush spread over her cheeks and she bit her lip.

He closed the distance between them and lowered his lips to hers, pulling her against him.

Beth lost herself in the sweetness of the kiss. It wasn't the same kind of kiss from last night—full of purpose with a destination in mind. It was slow and relaxed. Just a moment of feeling each other before he leaned his head back.

"They said they're gonna leave in a coupla hours to track down someone. Few days ago, a man killed one of their own and left him to turn. Lost two men—the walker and the one the walker killed." Beth started shaking her head and he pushed on. "They think they're going to a place called Terminus."

"Terminus?"

Daryl pulled her over to the bed and sat down. She took a seat beside him and twined their fingers together.

"They said there're signs up all along the railroad tracks advertisin' sanctuary. They got a tagline, too. 'All who arrive, survive.' "

Beth stared down at their hands and narrowed her eyes. "How come we've never heard of it before? Y'all used to make runs all the time and never saw anythin'."

Daryl shrugged. "We heard a radio broadcast once. It was fulla static, but thinkin' back, that's what they were sayin'."

She was consumed by her own thoughts for several minutes before Daryl bumped his shoulder to hers.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

"I wanna believe it's true, but I can't shake the feelin' that somethin's not right about it." She hoped he felt the same way because she didn't want to go. It seemed that anytime they were around a lot of people, bad things happened. Granted, things hadn't been smooth by themselves, but at least it was just them they had to worry about.

"I was thinkin' the same thing, baby. Don't no one advertise sanctuary without a motive anymore. We got sanctuary here, but we ain't offerin' it to others. Even at the prison, we had rules. This Terminus—it's bad news, I can feel it."

"Ya think it's like Woodbury?"

Daryl withdrew one of his hands from hers and started biting his thumbnail. "Don't know. All I know is that when ya got a safe place to stay, instinct tells ya to keep it secret now. Too many people draw attention."

Beth reached out and pushed his hand away from his mouth. He'd make himself bleed if he kept it up. "We'll stay here, then?"

"It's safer here." It was all he said as he stood up. "I'll do whatever ya want to do, though."

Beth wrapped her arm around his waist and hugged him close. "I wanna stay here, and I want them gone."

"They'll be leavin' soon." Daryl lowered his voice and continued, "If they don't, I'll kill 'em, Beth. I shoulda done it when we ran into the walkers."

Her body froze, and she met his gaze. What she saw there frightened her more than she could say. Those blue eyes she'd come to love were glacial and unseeing, and his hand had gone to his hip where his knife was clipped.

"Daryl." Her voice was barely audible.

He looked away and shrugged. "Either way, we ain't gonna deal with them past today. I'm gonna go and find ya a rabbit or squirrel, and ya can make some soup. It's the right weather for something warm like that."

She stood in shock as he kissed her cheek then went to pick up his bow.

"Those assholes are gonna stay out in the yard. They said they ain't gonna mess with ya, and I know they're tellin' the truth—right now at least. Sometimes I forget, ya know? I used to be one of those guys. Merle was one of those guys." His forehead scrunched up, and he gripped his bow so hard his knuckles turned white. "Bar the door anyway. Take the gun ya found outta the draw and put it on the table. Use it if ya have to. I'll be back soon, sweetheart."

When the door shut behind him, Beth did as she was told and barred the door before getting the gun out. Then she set about making a base for the soup and added canned vegetables to the pot.

She tried not to think about Daryl's resolve to kill those men if they went back on their word. For a moment, she was trapped between her life before, when murder was wrong, and this new world, where kill or be killed was the standard. More than anything, Beth didn't want him to have more blood on his hands than he already had.

Beth stirred the food in the pot and placed it on the stove before walking over to the porch window and looking through the crack. She watched the group of men for a minute and took in their appearance and demeanor.

These men were flourishing in this new world, and it was because they didn't have an issue with spilling blood if they had to. In that moment, she lost her fear at the look she'd seen as Daryl spoke to her.

If the roles were reversed and she were in his shoes, she realized she'd do whatever it took to keep him safe, too.

* * *

She was still watching through the window when Daryl came back with two rabbits.

One of the younger men stood up and reached for the game on his belt, but Daryl backed away.

She couldn't make out the words, but she could tell they were yelling. Finally, Daryl threw down one rabbit at their feet, mouthed something, and started to walk away.

It all happened so fast she didn't even have time to scream before the man tackled Daryl to the ground and started hitting wherever he could reach. Beth didn't think twice before grabbing the pistol and throwing the boards off the door.

They weren't even paying attention to her; instead, they had all gathered around Daryl and were stomping on his body with their dirty boots. She calmed down as much as she could and took aim from the porch. Her first shot was wide, but her second shot caught one in the neck, and the next shot went straight through one's chest.

When the other two started running toward her, she emptied the clip in their direction and watched them both fall to the ground.

She drew her knife and quickly walked down the steps. The man closest to her was the leader, and he was reaching for his own gun, but she slammed her blade down into his skull without hesitating.

The man on his right was already dead, so she ran to the other two. One had bled out and the one with the bullet in his chest was gasping for air.

"I'm so sorry," Beth whispered as she used her knife on him.

Beth wanted to check on Daryl, but the man near her had turned, and he was groaning and starting to stand.

The third time she used the blade, she didn't even flinch. By the time she made it to the fourth man, she was already thinking about how to get rid of the bodies.

She thought about what she'd said before stabbing the first man and realized that she wasn't really sorry that she'd killed them; she was sorry that she'd easily done something her father would have struggled with. He had been her moral compass, and today she'd killed four men without batting an eyelash.

Beth dropped her knife to the ground and ran to Daryl. He was still balled up, but he was breathing. Blood dripped off his chin and his eyes were already swollen

"Daryl?" she whispered. "I'm gonna have to move ya. It's gonna hurt, but ya need to get inside."

He didn't speak, but struggled to stand. Beth hooked his arm over her shoulder, and with all the strength she could muster, she practically dragged him to the house.

"Walkers," he mumbled. "Comin' 'cause the noise."

"I know." She laid him on the bed. "I'll take care of it."

He was already unconscious, though.

She had very little time to waste, so she ran to the cabinets and found the rope Daryl had got on their first run. After she ran outside, she dragged each of the men as close as she could to the fence and tied their legs together before tying the rope to the undercarriage of the car.

Beth had no idea if it would actually work or if she'd fail, but she was sure going to try and get the bodies away from the cabin immediately. On her last trip under the fence, she rose up too soon and her back caught on the barbed wire. She gasped as the sharp pain of the barb pierced her skin and dragged down her back.

Ignoring the oozing blood and the sharp pain of her back hitting the seat, she cranked the car and drove through the trees, keeping her eyes on the bodies in her rearview mirror. She had to stop twice and retie them, but eventually she made it a couple of miles away.

Unfortunately, she ran into walkers that were following the noise she'd made shooting the gun. She had her knife, but it was no match for thirty walkers, so she got out of the car and ran.

Beth looked back once and saw them descend on the four men she killed, effectively forgetting about her. She didn't slow down, though, and when she slid under the fence surrounding their cabin, she felt relief for a moment before she started kicking dirt and leaves over the pools of blood on the ground.

With the last bit of her strength, she grabbed the feet of one of the dead walkers from outside their fence and hauled him to cover the biggest area of blood.

It'll have to do, she thought as she ran back inside and boarded the door shut.

The sun was setting, so she knew she'd wasted hours getting rid of the bodies. Her soup was burned on the stove, but she couldn't even care.

She wet a rag, went to Daryl's side, and started wiping off his face and hands. He looked terrible, and when she opened his shirt, she knew they'd broken his ribs this time.

Remembering what Daddy had told her, she gently pressed his stomach to check for swelling. She desperately wished that she had him or Carol here. They knew so much more about this than she did.

Once he was clean and on his back, Beth searched through their medicine and took out the painkillers they'd found along with the first aid kit. For the next few hours, she tended to each of his wounds and wrapped his ribs as best she could.

Beth watched out the window as a small group of walkers arrived. Instead of just continuing on, they stumbled around the fence, still smelling the blood she'd spilled.

She knew that the fence would hold, but still her heart stopped, and she held her breath as two walkers bumped into each other and tripped into the wire.

The sun was starting to sink in the sky, and she realized she wouldn't be able to keep an eye on them much longer. Beth shot a quick glance at Daryl and trembled.

What would she do if they broke the fence? There was no way she could take on that many walkers by herself, and she would never be able to get Daryl away from them if she tried to run. Even if she managed to get them away, their car was gone, and she wouldn't be able to drag him through the woods.

Maybe she could run and distract the walkers then circle back?

Beth found herself biting her thumbnail like Daryl always did.

What if he died?

Her breath started coming in quick pants as she imagined having to slam a knife through his skull to keep him from turning.

Then she thought about what would happen if she fell asleep and he turn then. What if she was woken up by his groans as a walker, staggering toward her?

Tears clouded her vision and she held her hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs.

As the night settled over them and Beth lost sight of the walkers, she wrapped her arms around her knees and leaned her back against the wall near the door. She listened to the groans of the walkers as they milled around outside the fence and stared at the dying fire in the stove.


	9. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

* * *

It was in the middle of the night when Beth could no longer hear the walkers' groans outside the cabin, but she stayed awake, watching the rise and fall of Daryl's chest.

"Beth?" Daryl's voice was so hoarse.

She stumbled to the bed and tried to give him some water, but he spit most of it back up.

"Shhh," she murmured. "Try again. A little slower this time."

He took a few sips and then lowered his head back down.

"Feel like I got run over." He tried to open his eyes, but they were still so swollen.

"I'll get ya somethin' for the pain." Beth reached for the bottle beside the bed and took out two pills. "Can ya sit up a little?"

He complied, groaning miserably as he did. The pills went down with ease, though.

"What happened?"

Beth stared down at his beaten body and flinched.

They would have killed him, she truly realized for the first time. They'd have killed her, too. Everyone at the prison had her pegged as a girl who wouldn't do the dirty work and was better suited for domestic tasks—and they'd been right.

She didn't have a stomach for killing, but if she had to, she would. Beth reached out and took Daryl's hand, feeling how swollen his knuckles were from trying to punch back and defend his torso.

This man was someone she'd kill for. Someone she'd die for. She could have said all of those things, but when the words came out, it was a simpler explanation. "We don't have to worry about 'em anymore. They're gone."

Daryl fell asleep almost immediately, and after checking the door and looking out both windows, Beth lay down on her side of the bed and gave in to the exhaustion she'd held at bay for so long.

* * *

When Beth jerked awake that evening, the sun was almost gone. For a moment, she felt like she'd failed in caring for Daryl, but she shook the guilt off. She was more use to him rested than stumbling around, exhausted.

Somehow, she'd managed not to roll over and lie on him during the night the way she normally did. Even in sleep, it seemed her mind remained aware of his injuries. Beth watched his chest rise and fall for several seconds before she reached over to touch his face and run her hand to his neck. His pulse was strong, but his eyes were still swollen terribly and black. His lip was split, and she knew that if she lifted the covers, his chest and stomach would be littered with bruises.

A sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she remembered those men beating him. She knew it was partially her fault for how he had acted toward them. If he'd been on his own, he'd have slipped away in the night and they'd have never found him, but he had Beth to look out for, so he'd tried to keep them satisfied until he saw a decent opening to take care of them.

In the end, his temper had won out, and they showed him no mercy in their retaliation. Beth was just glad that she'd caught them off guard and was able to take care of them before they'd killed him.

Those men caught a glimpse of her the day before and saw a defenseless woman, but she'd stepped up when it counted and protected Daryl the way he'd done for her.

Her heart was still heavy, though. Those were the first lives she'd taken, and it weighed on her. She closed her eyes and thought of her daddy and the words of wisdom he might offer during such a time. With her eyes still closed, she began to pray.

* * *

After getting up and tending to the fire, she took a rag and ran it through the cold tap water. There was no way she was getting ice anytime soon, so the cold compress would have to enough. Hopefully it would take away some of the swelling.

Daryl flinched as she laid the material over his eyes but didn't wake up.

She stared down at this sleeping form and sighed. There wasn't really anything else she could do for him. What he needed was rest and lots of food and water. He was doing pretty good on the rest front, so she went to the cabinet and looked over their food supply.

They were lucky that they'd had such a good run before everything went to hell, Beth thought as she looked in the cabinets. There was enough food to last them at least another two weeks before they'd have to figure out a run. Beth wasn't sure that Daryl would be able to do much of anything in the coming weeks let alone make a run for supplies.

Still, she didn't like it when decisions were made without her input, and she knew Daryl wouldn't want her to run off half-cocked by herself, so she decided to wait and talk to him about it once he was a little better.

When the cabin had warmed up a bit and Beth had heated up some food, she walked to the bed, pulled the blankets away from Daryl's body, and scanned his injuries. She desperately wanted to wake him up and make him eat something but figured he needed to rest more.

With the last rays of light, she checked the fence surrounding their cabin. Everything was secure and there weren't any walkers around, so she went back inside and barred the door.

Everything seemed better when she was inside the cabin. It was safe and warm and Daryl was still with her. She just felt useless watching him sleep, though.

"Beth?" He cleared his throat and winced. "Ya there?"

It hit her suddenly that even though she'd moved the rag earlier, his eyes were still swollen shut.

"Yeah." She swallowed a sob. "I was tryin' to warm up some soup for ya to eat. How ya feelin' now?"

He struggled to sit up, and she rushed to his side to help him the rest of the way. His back was against the wall and rolled his neck from side to side.

"I'd be all right if I could see shit. Damn." She watched as he flexed his hands and let his head fall back against the wall. "Worst beatin' I ever took."

The tears fell silently from her eyes as she took his hand gently.

"Can I help ya with anythin'?"

"Take off my vest and shirt, will ya? I can't stand anythin' touchin' my skin right now."

It took them a couple of minutes of starting and stopping before his clothes were in a pile beside the bed.

"Tell me what happened?" he asked as Beth took his hand again. Daryl placed hers on his chest and kept it there. "can't even see ya. Hate that," he whispered.

"I don't even know what to say." Her voice was so quiet she was afraid he wouldn't hear her.

"They dead?"

"Yes." Her voice trembled slightly.

Daryl hung his head. "How'd ya get 'em away from here?"

All the emotions she'd been dealing with burst out in a loud sob. "I got the rope and tied 'em to the car then drove 'em away. I ran into a group of walkers and left the car and ran back here. I covered up all the blood with dirt and then pulled a walker over some of it."

"Fuck," he mumbled. "Come 'ere."

He wrapped his arms around her as best he could and let her cry into his shoulder.

"I thought they were gonna kill ya."

"They would've. Ya saved us." Daryl sat back a little and dropped his hand to his side. "I shoulda took 'em out when they were sleepin'. Didn't want ya to get your hands dirty like that."

"I'd do it again for ya."

Beth leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his battered lips.

Neither really knew what else to say, so Beth stood, poured some soup into his bowl, and then carefully fed him.

* * *

A week later, Daryl was able to walk around the cabin and refused any of their stronger painkillers. He didn't like how they made him sleep, especially considering the times they were living in.

"Ya don't need to hurt, Daryl. Ya need to heal."

"Shit, I'd rather be hurtin' and runnin' away from walkers than knocked out while ya tried to haul my ass away and both of us get killed."

He hated everything that had happened, and he felt so fucking weak with Beth having to help him with nearly everything. Occasionally, he'd see her staring at him with concern in her eyes, but it would quickly shift to something else. He hadn't shown her any type of affection since he'd woken up and had perfected avoiding her kiss.

Around the cabin, he either snapped at her more than usual or was just silent. She took it in stride, but he could see it was getting harder for her not to snap back.

He just felt off.

Guilty.

"Who's to say that I wouldn't throw your ass to the walkers myself?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes at her but didn't respond. Hell, he'd throw himself to the walkers if he didn't break out of this mood he was in.

"Ya need to just get it off your chest, Daryl. Ain't no use in us just bickerin' at it each other instead of bein' like we were."

"How were we?" He stood. "We ain't nothin' but two people got stuck together after all hell broke loose. Shit, princess, ya wouldn't have looked my way before all this, and the only reason ya are now is 'cause I'm the only one here."

Beth froze in front of the stove for a moment, then she turned to face him. He saw her cheeks flushed with rage and tears shimmer in her eyes, but she didn't yell or let those tears fall.

"Ain't I just the luckiest girl in the world?" She dropped the spoon in the sink and walked to the door. "I'll check the fence. Fix your own damn dinner."

He watched her leave and immediately felt like shit.

Daryl didn't know how to work through things; he didn't do feelings well or try and hash shit out. But she sure as hell didn't deserve his ire.

Truth was, he was mad at himself, and when the swelling finally went down enough for him to open his eyes, he hated seeing the worn-out look on Beth's face. He didn't like how she hadn't moved the walker from the yard or would scrub her hands in hot water three or four times a day.

Merle's voice floated around his brain, calling him all sorts of names and taunting him for getting the shit kicked out of him while his woman killed the men he should have killed long before they even got close to her.

Daryl didn't know he was capable of hating himself more until he could finally open his eyes again.

God, he missed holding her so much, too. He missed letting himself feel comforted by her soft touches and sweet kisses, but he felt like he didn't deserve them anymore.

It was just so simple in his mind. All he had to do was to tell Beth all that, and then everything would go back to normal. Except nothing would be normal again. The world had ended and the lines were all blurred and the one untouched spot in his life was marred now because he'd failed to do his job and keep her safe.

* * *

Another week passed and there was no improvement with Daryl. He had shut her out, and it didn't seem like he was keen on letting her in anytime soon. Beth knew she should just try and come to terms with this new way of things, but she'd seen how he really was and couldn't shake the feeling that maybe if she pushed him a little further, he'd come around again.

"We're gonna go on a run and stock up, okay? Try and get as much as we can, so we don't have to go out for a while."

Beth nodded against her pillow and yawned. She hated not sleeping with him, but since he'd healed up enough, he insisted on sleeping in front of the door. They'd argued again that night, too, and it ended with Beth throwing a pillow at his face and telling him to go to hell.

A storm had blown through a couple of days before, and the temperature had dropped dramatically. She'd taken to wearing a jacket to bed most nights because the stove didn't provide enough warmth for the room.

Since Daryl had annexed himself to the door, she'd get up in the middle of the night and cover him with extra blankets, which he'd promptly throw off in the morning without a word of thanks.

Neither of them was really helping the situation, but she'd try to get closer and he'd run away. She was about tired of chasing him.

"Figure since it's colder than a witch's tit outside, the walkers will be too slow to cause us any problems."

Beth snorted and dug her fingers into his side as he passed too close to the bed. He squirmed away, wincing a little, and she laughed. "You're such a poet, Daryl."

"Stop it, woman." He smacked her hand away and pulled the covers back. "Get dressed and make me some breakfast."

This caused her to laugh harder, and Daryl turned his head to the side, letting her see his sexy half-grin. She didn't think twice before she sat up and pushed his hair out of his face.

"Let me cut your hair later?" she whispered and kissed his jaw.

She let one hand trace up his back, skimming the scars. He stiffened under her touch and moved away.

"Ya know, I think you're the most handsome man I've ever seen." With that said, she scooted off the bed.

"I'd say ya must be blind, then," he quipped as he pulled on his boots.

"I'm not blind. Ya just don't see yourself like I do, is all."

"Ain't that the fuckin' truth," he muttered, shrugging on his flannel shirt and leather vest.

Beth just shook her head and pulled on a big sweater and her jacket.

When things were good with Daryl, it was as easy as breathing. She wished that he would see that.

* * *

It didn't take much time at all before they were walking through the woods, heading out in the opposite direction of where they had found food before.

Daryl had wanted to go and find the car that Beth had left, but she didn't want to use it. He complained, of course, and made her so mad she slammed the cabin door on her way out.

He was just fucking up every which way.

Before long, they'd reached the road and after another couple of miles, found a little pickup truck that would work well for them.

Half a tank of gas, too.

The first town they came to looked completely deserted, which wasn't saying much. There was a dollar store off to the side of the road with big chains on the door and spray paint on the windows that read DEAD INSIDE.

He smirked and shook his head as he pulled into the parking lot. Beth didn't say a word, just raised an eyebrow before getting out of the truck. After tapping on the glass and waiting several minutes—and still hearing no noise from within—he went to work on the chains.

They didn't actually have a lock on them and were just wrapped around the handles repeatedly, which was good for them.

He and Beth deserved a bit of luck, especially with winter settling in hard and no sign of anyone else from the prison; it would save them if this place had just been "protected" by someone to come back to.

He'd seen it before right after the outbreak. People would avoid anything that had those words written on the outside, but he and Merle had found out pretty quick that sometimes it was a lie and there was plenty for the taking beyond those chained doors.

For Daryl, it had been food and water. For Merle, it had been pills.

"Keep an eye out anyway," he said quietly as he dropped the chain and opened the door. There was a think layer of dust over everything and not a sound to be heard inside. They did a quick circle around the store and secured the door to the back so they wouldn't run into the same problem that they'd had at the grocery store.

The shelves were still nicely stocked and if they could bring back that much canned food, they'd be set for the winter.

"Can't lift shit right now, so I'll get some garbage bags and fill 'em up. You'll have to drag 'em over to the door and try and put 'em in the bed of the truck."

"How'd ya even know this place was safe?"

"If I wanted to keep people out of my stash, I'd warn 'em off with somethin' like this, too."

"Do ya think they're still around? What if they pop up?"

Daryl ran a finger along the nearest shelf, coating the tip of his finger in dust.

"They're long gone, princess."

That familiar look of covered her face again, but instead of telling him to kiss her ass, she turned and went to find bags for him.

In the end, they collected twelve bags of canned food, three bags of dried goods like rice and beans, six large Tupperware boxes, new undergarments for Beth, and all sorts of toiletries that had became luxury items since the prison. They even got some instant coffee and sugar.

After they emptied the shelves, they went in the back and found boxes of canned goods that had been waiting to be stocked. Beth dragged three of those to the truck before tiring out completely.

The final bag that Beth brought with them was a purse she'd picked up off a rack, and she walked around by herself filling it with stuff she didn't want Daryl to see.

By the time they were settled in the truck, there were four walkers stumbling across the parking lot as slowly as they'd ever seen them move. Behind them, ambling down the road, were at least forty more.

"Guess ya were right about the weather." Beth stared behind them as they turned out in front of the walkers. "That's amazin'. We should try and hit up another place with 'em movin' like that."

"Got what we need."

"Well, if we're gonna stay at the cabin, we need to get some gardenin' stuff for the spring. Might as well get it all now."

He huffed and drove toward the hardware store that was on the square across from the store they just looted.

"Go get what ya need." He waved a hand toward the door, and Beth got out, moving quickly.

Five minutes later, she emerged with a rake, a hoe, a posthole digger, and a plastic bag full of seeds.

"There's some T-posts and barbed wire in there. Go get 'em and we'll reinforce the fence." She didn't even look his way as she said it. "And another five gallon bucket."

He was in and out with all the things she'd said to get, and they headed back to the cabin. It was ridiculous at how slowly those walkers moved, he thought. They hadn't even made it halfway to the hardware store by the time he was backing out.

Fuck, they outta spend the winter driving north if the cold slowed them down this much.

That thought fell away quickly, though, when he looked at Beth.

They were safe here for the time being, and as much he was acting like an asshole, he still just wanted to protect her, to make up for how he'd failed her before. Maybe find her sister if she was still alive.

He wanted to touch her again, too.

Tomorrow, he decided. Tomorrow they'd sit down and sort this shit out, and he'd move back to the bed if she'd let him.


	10. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

* * *

Why'd we haul all this shit here if we ain't got room for it," Daryl complained—loudly—the next morning from his spot in front of the door. "Damn it, Beth, ya did this on purpose."

She had, so she didn't answer him. There was a row of boxes surrounding him and garbage bags behind those. It had been wrong of her to move them, knowing good and well that he couldn't move them on his own, but it felt good to punish him a little after he left her to organize everything and went out to check the fence for two hours the evening before.

There wasn't nothing wrong with the fence, and she peeked out the window and caught him smoking near the creek. She had almost barred the door on him for that. Instead, she lay down and left everything as it was. Until he was asleep, at least, and then she'd barricaded him in.

"Help me move this shit, woman. I gotta piss."

With a groan, Beth rolled over and threw back the covers. She dragged away the bags and boxes, creating a little pathway for him to move through.

"Ya PMS-in' or somethin'?" He pushed past her without making eye contact.

"I could ask ya that same thing, couldn't I?" she said as he shut the bathroom door.

Beth went back to the bed and reached underneath it to pull out the purse she'd taken the day before. She smiled a little as she took out the fuzzy socks she found and slipped them on her feet. It was a silly thing to want to bring with her, but she couldn't pass them up. It made things seem a little less "end of the world" when she was wearing fuzzy socks.

She waited a couple of minutes for Daryl to come out of the bathroom, but when he didn't emerge, she figured he was hoping she'd go back to sleep so he could avoid her. Too bad for him; she was hungry and happened to find her favorite kind of oatmeal yesterday. She started to heat up some water and thought about how good it was going to taste with a little sugar.

Without even considering the opposite, she portioned out enough for both of them. He might make her mad with how he was acting, but she still had serious feelings for him. Plus, seeing him smile over something sweet for breakfast would be nice.

With that image in mind, she started singing and getting together things for the coffee they were going to have, too.

* * *

He'd decided yesterday that this was going to be the day he set it all straight, but then he woke up surrounded by shit he couldn't move and got aggravated at her. Daryl knew he needed to make peace with her because she'd proven she could hold her own when it came to being as annoying as he could be.

He was sure that if he called her _princess_ again, she'd deck him.

Daryl was an idiot to think he could push her away by being surly, and he was an even bigger idiot to think he was less of a man because she'd saved him. Still, years of hearing what a pussy you were tended to have a way of sticking with you.

He was going to have to try a lot harder to tamp down his gut reaction when it came to situations he was uncomfortable in or else he'd be an asshole to Beth nearly every day, and he didn't want that. She deserved a lot more, and as long as he tried, he thought he could really make an attempt at being that for her.

Just as he was about to open the door, he heard her start singing. That was his weakness, and he figured she knew it, too. Daryl waited a minute, listening to her sing and letting himself relax a little, all while battling the instinct to be a dick so she wouldn't know how much he needed her.

Damn his daddy to hell for making him the way he was.

He took a deep, cleansing breath and remembered that they were beyond pretending they didn't need each other. There wasn't no use in pretending with Beth to begin with.

She'd accepted what she felt and patiently waited for him to catch up. Then everything terrible happened, and he distanced himself again. He could tell that she wasn't quite as patient this time around though.

When he snapped, she sassed right back. When he started for the door to walk out, she beat him there and slammed the door behind her.

On the surface, she might look like some timid wallflower, but he'd seen her fire and felt her passion. If there was anyone he'd fall to his knees for, it would be Beth.

The sight that greeted him when he opened the door a few seconds later damn near made him do just that.

He guessed the stove had made her warm because instead of wearing her thick jacket, she'd slipped on one of his long-sleeve flannels over her black stretchy pants.

Those things were the bane of his existence and one of the reasons he'd started noticing Beth in a not-so-innocent way back at the prison.

His stomach growled at the smell of food, and he took his eyes off her body and looked at the stove.

"Smells good."

Beth turned her head and smiled. "It's my favorite. I think you'll like it, too, since ya got a bit of a sweet tooth."

"How ya figure that?"

He watched her cheeks pink before she turned away. "I've seen the way ya look at the old candy displays when we've been on runs, Daryl. Plus, ya love peaches and fruit." She shrugged and stirred whatever was in the pot. "Ya like sweet things."

In order to keep his thoughts to himself, he bit his tongue so hard he almost drew blood. He cleared his throat before settling on, "I guess I do."

"This is apple cinnamon oatmeal with some sugar on top. It'll get ya your fix." She carefully placed his bowl down in front of him. "How do you like your coffee?"

He spooned a big bite of food into is mouth and winced as it burned his tongue. With his mouth still full he answered her. "Little bit o' sugar."

"Ummm-hmmm."

Daryl bristled a little at her tone. "Ya still a pain in my ass."

Beth just laughed and took her seat across from him.

They didn't say any more, just enjoyed a warm meal and full belly for once.

When both bowls were empty, Beth stood and took them to the sink where she rinsed them out and set them on the rag on the counter.

He noticed that she stopped putting stuff away every night like she used to, and he was happy that she felt safe enough there to do that.

Daryl walked to the door and grabbed his bow. "Gonna check the fence."

"Where'd ya get the smokes from?" Beth asked, quirking an eyebrow as she leaned against the counter.

"Ya spyin' on me now, woman?"

"I've _been_ spyin' on ya. I know all your secrets." The smile she shot him made his body tense and eyes narrow.

"Uh huh."

Beth laughed out loud and went to pick up a garbage bag of supplies.

Gripping the strap on his bow tightly, he muttered, "Got 'em at the hardware store. Two boxes just layin' on the counter."

"Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad ya got 'em if ya really missed 'em."

"Nervous habit."

Then he was out the door and into the freezing cold.

* * *

It took _hours_ to organize their latest haul. It filled up nearly all their cabinets, plus she filled a couple of the big Tupperware boxes with food, extra medicine, and even two blankets. When he got back from checking his snares, she planned to have Daryl put it in the truck just in case they had to make a quick getaway.

Beth knew he had avoided the house all day because he didn't like being stuck doing tedious tasks. She really didn't mind putting stuff away, but she would have liked company while she did it.

In the quiet, her mind ran wild, and she was drawn back to Daryl's past. She thought about all the things he'd gone through before and after the walkers happened. She didn't know the whole story about his childhood; she didn't think he'd ever tell her it all. The scars on his back told her enough, though.

He was a survivor, and that group of men wouldn't have even been able to catch him had he just been worried about himself.

For a moment, she wondered how she would die. Unconsciously, she rubbed the scar on her wrist and felt immense shame at her actions. She hadn't really wanted to die; she'd just wanted to be awake again. It was a nightmare. It had to be. Everything was so terrible, and she'd been so lonely—even with everyone around.

They'd all seemed to navigate the change all right, but she wasn't built for this. She was a nurturer and homebody.

That was then, though.

Now, she could kill if she had to, and she could protect herself from walkers if there weren't a lot. She was still soft down deep, though, and Beth knew that one day, her number would be up. She'd just try her best to make sure it was years from now and definitely not from getting eaten by walkers. She'd put a bullet through her brain before that happened.

She shook her head and picked up a can of corn.

There was no reason to be so morbid right now. Things were going fine, and she had faith they'd last through the winter unharmed. She might even be able to get Daryl back into bed with her before it turned warm again.

Daryl walked in a little while later, a skinned, scrawny rabbit in his hand.

"This'll prolly be the last of the meat for a while. So cold now that everything is pretty well hidden."

"If ya cut it up, I'll put it in the soup." She was stirring the corn into a pot that was full of other vegetables and broth.

He finished quickly since it was so small and went about getting cleaned up. After being out all day, his face was grimy and so were his hands.

"Looks good 'round here."

Beth smiled and nodded. "I put some stuff in a coupla of those boxes and want ya to put 'em in the truck. Ya know, just in case."

"That's a good idea." Daryl took off his vest and hung it on the back of the chair before starting to unbutton his shirt.

Beth didn't even bother not staring, and she swore he turned a little pink from the attention. She was surprised when he turned his back toward her without much thought. He'd always been very careful to not leave himself exposed, even around her, especially lately.

She didn't comment, though, just stirred the soup and watched him put on another shirt.

"I ain't just a piece of meat," he joked as he sat down at the table. "Ya could always return the favor, yeah?"

She laughed and set down their food. "Such a charmer."

He just smirked and started eating. Beth was positive it was burning his mouth, but he just kept going. Staying out all day, hunting down food, would make a man hungry, she figured.

Her thoughts went back to the same place they were earlier, and she looked at him with a new appreciation.

He was such a selfless man.

* * *

He watched as she took a small bite of her soup and then looked over at him. There was a look in her eyes that confused him, and when she spoke, her voice was calm and sure. "Ya know what I thought about when ya were gone?"

"Ain't no way of knowin' what goes on in that head of yours." He took another bite of the soup, trying to ignore the blank look in her eyes.

"Just thinkin' about what happens next, ya know? If we find the others, or if we stay here a while. What'll happen when our luck runs out?"

Daryl dropped his spoon and sat back in his chair. "Why the hell ya thinkin' about stuff like that?"

She shrugged. "While you stuck with those men, I was just out on the porch, waitin' for ya, thinkin'."

Beth held his gaze, and when she spoke again, it chilled him to his bones. "Ya know what I think?" He shook his head, afraid of her answer.

"You're gonna to be the last man standin'." Daryl froze. "You are," she insisted vehemently. "And you're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone, Daryl Dixon."

It took him a few seconds before he could respond, and when he did, he was shocked at the anger in his voice.

"Why the fuck would ya say that to me?" He stood up fast and knocked over his chair. Beth jumped at the sound as it smacked the floor. "I thought ya were over that shit? Ya gonna take knife to your wrists? Ya gonna leave me?"

He watched her eyes widen in fear and took a step back from the table.

"No." She shook her head. "I don't wanna die, Daryl. I just know it'll happen. Everythin' 'round us is fallin' apart, and I wasn't made to last here. I ain't got much skills for survivin'— you do. You're strong and you're smart, and let's be real honest, if it weren't for me, ya'd be long gone from here."

Daryl walked backwards until he hit the wall and then slid down, holding his head in his hands.

"You're wrong." How he kept his voice even, he'd never know. He looked up and met her eyes. She looked close to crying, and he knew he was, too. "I wouldn't have been long gone, Beth. If I hadn't seen ya in the prison yard when I did, I'd have run straight out into those walkers after the Governor."

"What?" she whispered, staring at him in shock.

He stood and opened the door, pausing for a moment to speak. "Only reason I'm alive right now is 'cause of you, woman. Couldn't stand the thought of ya dyin' like that." He snorted and started outside, into the dark. "Can't stand the thought of ya dyin' at all."

Daryl quietly shut the door behind him and walked around to the back of the cabin. He listened for sounds of anything close by since he couldn't really see all that well. Nothing near at all. Just the sound of the creek a little ways away.

A few minutes passed before he heard her walking toward him. He expected her to stand in silence beside him, but she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and leaned against him.

"I'm—"

Daryl cut her off. "Got some things to say." She made to walk around and face him, but he squeezed her hands to his stomach to stop her. "It's better this way. Dark. Can't see ya."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for bein' an ass the last few days and for how I acted this mornin'. I don't know how to deal with things sometimes, so I act like a dick. I hate being weak. Told all my life what a useless pussy I was, so I guess somewhere along the way, I started to believe it was true, ya know?

"Findin' the group, providin', takin' care of my people made me see that maybe I wasn't so useless, but I sure as shit wasn't a leader. Then Farmer Rick happened, and everyone started lookin' to me. Buncha shit, ain't it? World goes to hell, and I find a place for myself.

"I was nothin' before this, Beth. A fuckin' nobody. Just some _redneck asshole_ with an even _bigger asshole for a brother.__"_ He shrugged, and she squeezed his waist. "I shouldn't feel the way I do for ya. Never done nothin' to deserve the way ya look at me like ya do, but I want it.

"Ain't gonna make no promises about not being an asshole again 'cause I'll just break'em. I can tell ya that I'll try not to snap as much and try and talk to ya instead of runnin' away, but it'll take time, I imagine. Just wanna ask ya for one thing."

"What?" she asked against his back.

"Please don't talk about dyin' no more." His voice broke on the last word. She shook out of his hold and was in front of him when he opened his eyes. "I can't even think about that."

"I promise." Beth reached her hand up and cupped his cheek in her hand. "It's ya and me, Daryl. I'll be yours if ya be mine."

He leaned down and spoke against her lips. "Always been yours, girl. Ain't never wanted to be anybody else's."


	11. Chapter 10

Ch. 10

* * *

The day after Daryl's confession, Beth woke to his arms circled around her and smiled.

God, she'd missed this. She'd missed him so terribly bad in the weeks since he'd been hurt.

"Stop your wiggling. Sun ain't even out yet." Beth snuggled back against him, and he gripped her hip to stop her. "It's like you're tryin' to test my patience this mornin'," he muttered into her hair.

"Ya should just give in." She rolled over to face him and ran a hand through his hair. "We should play twenty questions."

Daryl kept his eyes closed and groaned. "Why?"

"So I can get to know ya."

He snorted and turned his face down into the pillow, and Beth blushed as he said, "Ya just wanna talk about messin' around."

"And you don't?"

"It's not dark enough to talk about this," he mumbled into the pillow.

"So if I brought this up tonight, then ya'd tell me?"

Daryl shrugged, and she let her hand drift over his naked back. His muscles bunched under her touch, and she leaned down and kissed his shoulder blade.

"Don't want to."

"I'll start, if ya want."

"I don't." Daryl sighed. "Does it really matter?"

Beth thought about it for a minute. "Not really. I just wanna know."

"You're makin' me twitchy." He pulled the blanket over his back and tried to hide.

Beth pushed off the bed with a huff. "You're just embarrassed."

"I ain't no virgin. That good enough?" His voice was muffled from beneath the covers.

"Neither am I."

She laughed as Daryl's head shot out from under his blanket and he stared at her in shock.

She couldn't stop the grin that parted her lips and he shook his head. "You're just fuckin' with me." He pulled the blanket back over his head.

"Yeah, but I did let Zach feel me up once." Beth shrugged. "It's actually kinda sad to think about it now. He died the next day."

"Jesus." Daryl rolled out of the bed. "I gotta go."

She let him get dressed and went to the stove to get some of the soup from last night. They figured it would be okay to eat as long as they kept it heated all night. Beth didn't try and stop him as he picked up his bow and walked out the door.

He promised he'd try, and he definitely lasted a lot longer than she'd imagined he would with her questions.

It was natural to want to know about the past of your significant other, she told herself as she ate. There was a little bit of jealousy in the pit of her stomach, too, but she tried to talk that down. She worried about the women from their group, Carol in particular. Whoever he had been with before didn't matter because he was with her now.

* * *

He was jealous of a dead boy.

Didn't have no real reason to be, but still, she was his. First woman to ever really be his, and he didn't like the idea of someone else touching her.

It was stupid. He was being stupid.

He checked the fence, knowing that it would be fine. They hadn't had a walker this far out in a long time, so nothing had been pushing against it and no tree limbs had fallen on it. Daryl was just wasting time, hoping she'd moved on to something else by the time he got back inside the cabin.

He did another pass before he got really cold and wanted to be by the fire. As he walked up the porch steps, he dragged a hand along his jaw and prepared himself for Beth's questions as best he could.

He wrinkled his nose at the smell as he walked through the door. Beth sat at the table with a small bottle of blue nail polish, concentrating hard on what she was doing.

"Damn, woman. Ya tryin' to get high in here?"

She didn't look up, but she smiled. "Nope. I took this the other day, and I've been waiting for a good time to put it on."

Daryl sat across from her and asked, "Why?"

Beth shrugged and kept painting the fingernails on her left hand. "Why not? It's pretty, right?" She held her finished hand out to him.

"It's really blue," he said and started to chew on his thumbnail.

"It's turquoise."

"Yeah, like I said, blue."

Beth pushed the bottle across the table and held out her right hand. "I need ya to do this side. Maggie always helped me. I can't do it with my left hand. "

Daryl narrowed his eyes a little. "Ya messin' with me again?"

She stood and pulled her chair around in front of him. "Nope." She placed her right hand on the table. "I really need ya to do it. Ya got steady hands, don't ya?"

He watched her for a moment, taking in her little smirk and confident eyes. There wasn't no use in saying no, he figured. Didn't really hurt nothing anyway.

"Can't believe I'm sittin' here, painting a girl's nails. Merle'd have a field day with this."

Beth scoffed and shook her head. "Don't think of it as paintin' some girl's nails. Think of it as paintin' _your_ girl's nails."

"This the kinda thing a man does for his woman?" he asked, genuinely interested in the answer.

Beth watched him as he dipped the small brush into the paint, and she scrunched up her nose.

"Don't really know. I imagine that if ya care enough about someone, you'll help whenever ya can. No matter if it's somethin' silly like paintin' nails or somethin' more serious like pullin 'em out of the middle of a shoot out."

"Guess you're right."

They sat quietly as he moved on to the next nail, trying to make the strokes smooth and not get any on her skin. When he finished with her pinkie nail, he had to admit it looked pretty decent.

"Thank ya, sir." Beth leaned back and held both hands in front of her, inspecting their work. "A little bit of brightness never hurt nothin'."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Beth was sitting on the bed, reading a trashy romance novel she'd thrown in her bag at the dollar store and admiring the pretty blue color of her nails as she held the book.

She smiled to herself and tried to start reading again. The book had definitely kept her entertained so far that was for sure.

Her momma had called them "bodice rippers" and while she hadn't told her _not_ to read them, she hadn't exactly told her it was okay to read them either. The romance was lovely, and Beth adored the idea that a man would fall so hard for her one day. She imagined her hero sneaking into her bedroom, quietly making love to her, and then running away with her. It was silly daydreams that kept her occupied during boring summer days, but she loved them.

The hero in her dreams had changed a lot recently. He wasn't polished or silver-tongued anymore.

At that moment, Daryl stalked through the door, and she couldn't stop the sigh that escaped her.

No, her hero was now perpetually covered in dirt with tattoos and scars, and he was deadly with his bow and knife.

And my Lord, she thought as he walked to the sink, his arms were just amazing.

"Whatcha reading?" he asked as he wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Huh?" She glanced down at the book quickly then leaned over and threw it under the bed. "Oh! Nothin'."

Daryl raised an eyebrow in her direction and smirked. "Uh-huh. Sure sounds like nothin'. Makes me wonder what else ya got in that bag o' yours."

She flushed under his gaze but didn't look away.

"Now _you're_ messin' with _me_."

"Ya had it comin'." He laughed as he walked over to the bed and then leaned over her.

She watched him, waiting to see what he would do.

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip for a moment then moved the hand he'd placed on the bed to cup her cheek before sliding down to her chin. He traced his thumb over her bottom lip and leaned down the rest of the way to meet her in a soft kiss.

Beth didn't waste any time at all before she wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up to meet him. There was no way he was going to stop now, she thought.

"Scoot," he whispered against her lips and pushed her hip with his own.

She moved quickly, lying back against his pillow as she went. Instead of lying down beside her like she thought, he moved over her, bracing himself with his forearms on either side of her head.

Unlike last time, he didn't try to keep his bottom half off of her; instead, he covered her with his body, lining everything up just right as he started kissing up her neck. Beth moaned low in her throat and turned her head to the side. He sucked on her skin and dragged his tongue over it when she took a sharp breath. When his lips met hers again, she wrapped her legs around his waist and tugged on his bottom lip.

"Take off your shirt," she pleaded softly, trying to reach between them for the buttons.

He didn't answer, just moved off her and flung his vest to the floor. He almost ripped the buttons from his shirt trying to get it off as fast as he could.

When she reached to bring him back down to her, he tugged her up instead. Daryl pulled on the hem of her shirt and raised his eyebrows in question.

"Yeah," Beth said far too quickly, causing him to smirk.

She would have felt a little offended, but the way he stared at her body once she was undressed made her lose all thought whatsoever.

"Damn, girl." He groaned and bent to take her lips again, bringing his hand up to palm her breast. His thumb brushed over her nipple, and she gasped into his kiss.

Daryl's hands were rough and calloused, but as he continued to move them over her chest and ribs, the feel of them made everything more sensitive. She was completely lost as his lips roamed down her neck and across her collarbone. Her hands tangled in his hair, desperately trying to keep him from moving away from her.

"Can I?" He asked softly, letting his lips move further south to the top of her right breast. If she hadn't known him well, she would have never noticed the anxiety in his eyes.

"God, yes," she whimpered.

* * *

_Damn. _

Not a chance in hell he was going to stop, he thought as he kissed down the middle of her chest.

"What do you want?" Daryl breathed against her before tracing his tongue over her pebbled nipple.

"Touch me." She arched her back and she gasped as he palmed her other tit.

"Where?"

"Everywhere."

He scooted back a little and put his knees between her legs and one hand on her waist while he leaned forward and circled his tongue over her other nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

Beth arched up against him, pinning him to her chest with her hands. She didn't even notice him start to pull down her pants until he said, "Raise up, baby."

This was it, he thought as he moved away from her, tugged the stretchy material down her legs, and threw them onto the floor.

For a moment, he just stared down at her. He couldn't fucking believe what was happening between them was real. Her skin was pale and so damn smooth as he ran his hand along her leg up to her thigh.

He palmed his dick through his jeans and groaned as she reached out for him. He wanted her on top for a little while. Wanted that hair covering his chest and touching his thighs when she threw her head back. _Christ, _he thought as he sat down on the bed beside her and pulled her to straddle his lap. This was better than any fantasy he'd ever had.

"What about your pants?" she asked and gasped as he cupped her tits together and sucked on both nipples.

"Got lotsa time," was all he muttered before he started tonguing her again.

He dropped both hands to her hips after a minute and kissed back up her neck to her lips. Their kisses had gotten sloppy, and he crushed her to him as her lips moved along his jaw.

His fingers dug into her back, and he knew she'd have bruises, though he couldn't find it in himself to give a shit at that point. He'd already marked up her neck bad before he tried to get a hold of himself, but now she was grinding down on his dick and sucking on his neck, begging to be touched, for the ache he'd caused her to be eased.

Never in his life had he been so at war with himself to go fast or go slow, but when her soft hands skirted down his chest and stomach and started to unbuckle his belt, he gave up completely.

Daryl wanted to have his hands on every part of her body, he wanted to cover every inch of her with his lips and make her pant his name.

His slid his hands down her back to her hips and pushed her to lie back on the bed again. His belt was unbuckled and his jeans were open, but he stopped himself from yanking them off completely.

Her eyes closed as he moved his hand from her hip to her center and traced up her slit.

She was soaked for him.

"Daryl," she moaned as he circled her clit. Beth had a hand on his hand and the other wrapped around his wrist beside her head.

Time lost all damn meaning after that. She was warm and oh so fucking wet as he slid first one finger and then two into her pussy. His lips and tongue memorized the kisses and flicks that she liked against her nipples, and he burned the sight of her coming apart into his brain forever.

She was still coming down and he watched his fingers slide slowly in and out of her.

"That was amazin'." Beth had an arm over her eyes and smile on her face.

"Yeah." It was all he could manage before he kissed down her stomach and got a closer looked at what his hand was doing. His fingers were fucking glistening with her come, and he leaned and touched his tongue to her clit, flicking it like he did her nipples before.

He'd never done it before—or even wanted to—but right then, all he wanted to do was replace his tongue with his fingers and make her come again.

She squeaked out his name, and he pulled himself away as she sat up.

"I'ma do that next time," he growled before he pushed her back down and took her lips again.

He didn't stop her this time when she started pushing down his pants, and he kicked them off the bed. He groaned when her hand came down and circled around his dick.

"Am I doing this right?" She asked as she swiped her thumb over the head.

"Hell yes, you're doin' it right." He looked between then and moaned her name. "Please, girl—"

Daryl wasn't even sure what he was begging for, but when she lifted her hips up to him, he reached between them, his hand wrapping over hers as he guided his cock to her entrance. Beth pulled her hand away and gripped his hip hard enough to leave little marks from her nails when he started to push inside.

* * *

There couldn't be anything sexier than Daryl's face when he was inside her. It almost made up for the burning pain she felt when he pushed all the way in. His hair was in his face, so she moved it away with her fingers. His pretty blue eyes were darker and hooded, and there was a flush to his cheeks that had nothing to do with being embarrassed.

As if he didn't like her staring, he ducked his head down into her neck and started sucking on the skin behind her ear. She was pretty sure she was going to have a huge hickey, maybe a couple, in the morning.

"Ya okay?" His lips were against her ear, and she shivered.

"Yeah. Move." She tilted her hips up, and he pushed up to his elbows to see her face.

His eyes never left hers as he pulled out then moved back in. It seemed like such a simple movement, but as he picked up speed and thrust just a little harder each time, the tingling in her belly started to getting harder and harder to ignore.

Soon, there was no pain at all, and she let herself go, moving with him and groaning with each thrust of his hips.

"Oh, fuck," he groaned, pulling back to look down at her. "Ya feel so fuckin' good."

His hands tangled in her hair and he leaned down again for a rushed, biting kiss. On the next stroke, he stilled, his whole body tense. "Shit." He moaned low into her mouth, and she pushed herself into him harder. "That's it… move on my dick." She did it again, squeezing her muscles around him as she went. Daryl's grip on her hair tightened as he let out another curse before softly biting her lip and collapsing against her.

She had almost blushed at the memory of his words, but smiled instead. He was so far gone he wasn't even censoring himself like normal.

"I can't breathe," he said with a laugh. "I'm dyin'."

"I don't wanna move," she admitted, running her hands up his arms and over his shoulders.

* * *

He didn't want to either, but he didn't want to crush her, so he rolled away and then dragged her to his side.

It was dark outside and the fire in the stove was low now.

Daryl thought back to this morning and her questions and then to what just happened between them. He'd never felt anything like that with anyone else. With her letting someone like him anywhere near her, let alone inside her, was a damn near spiritual experience for him.

Daryl ran his hands over her hip and stomach before lacing his fingers with hers beside her chin. "Ya wanted to talk about stuff this mornin'?"

Beth rolled toward him and smirked before resting her forehead against his chest. "I don't think now's the time for that conversation."

"I ain't never felt for someone what I feel for you. As far as I'm concerned, there was no one before ya 'cause nobody else meant a damn thing to me." He tilted her face to his and kissed her.

They were quiet for several minutes before Beth looked up to him and spoke quietly. "All the terrible stuff that happened led us here. We're supposed to be together."

"I feel pretty shitty for everyone else who doesn't get a cabin and good woman, then." Daryl snapped but then sighed because he didn't want to ruin this evening.

"Ya know what I mean."

"Fate and all that shit."

Beth laughed. "Yeah—and all that shit."

* * *

When she fell asleep a little while later, he pulled the blankets around her, walked to the door, and barred it.

It wasn't until he started to put on his pants that he saw the smear of blood on his dick. Daryl leaned against the table and let the crushing realization that he'd come inside her settle over him.

"Sonofabitch," he whispered.

He looked at her sleeping beneath the covers and his heart sped up. Trying to keep himself from panicking, he lay down behind her and hugged her to him, ignoring the warring feelings that settled in his chest.


	12. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

* * *

Daryl didn't sleep that night.

Instead, he ran over different scenarios in his mind of what could happen if Beth was pregnant. She could miscarry. The baby could die inside her and turn. She could die in childbirth, and he'd have to kill her and then the baby if he couldn't get it out. What if it was born a walker?

Then there was a small part of his brain that wasn't scared at all if she had a baby. A part of him wanted to have that with her, wanted to be a man that had a family. It terrified him, sure, but if it happened, it would be with her. Maybe one day they'd get there. Maybe one day she'd want him that way, too. If he pushed away all the bad things that could happen, he could see her holding his baby, and that filled him with something he couldn't quite put a name to.

Chances were small though, he kept reminding himself. He couldn't even remember the last time Beth had been on the rag, and he was smart enough to know that if a woman didn't have a period, it would be pretty hard to knock her up.

He'd officially given himself a mindfuck by the time the sun was rising.

_Christ_.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and got out of bed. The best thing he could do right now was forget about all of it and make her something to eat.

She got up every morning before him and had him something to take with him if he was going out to hunt. Even if he was staying in, she made breakfast. It was time for him to do something like that for her, and since there was no chance of getting sleep any time soon, he started heating some water to make oatmeal.

"Ya look like you're thinkin' hard."

He turned quickly and his jaw dropped.

Her hair was wild and tossed over her bare left shoulder. The blanket was pulled up across her chest where she held it up with one hand, and her lips still looked swollen. Beth smiled at him and tilted her head to the side before looking down and blushing.

Daryl almost felt a little guilty at the scratches his beard made against her neck, but it made him a little hard, too. Especially seeing that hickey under her ear.

She still hadn't looked up, so he adjusted himself, walked over to the bed, and kissed her hard, making her lie back on the pillows. He didn't move the blanket, though. Wasn't anyway that he'd try to mess around this morning.

"Ya feelin' all right?" His fingers grazed the side of her neck and he shifted his eyes to meet hers.

Beth nodded, biting her bottom lip, and then said, "A little sore, but it's a good sore—if that makes any sense."

"Naw, you're crazy."

God, she was beautiful. She laughed and closed her eyes. He was the luckiest bastard in this shitty world.

"Made ya food." He curled a strand of her hair around his finger and looked away from her lips.

"Breakfast in bed?" She quirked an eyebrow, and he gave her a half grin. "Ya tryin' to get laid, Dixon?"

His coughed out a laugh and stood up. "Think it's best if we go on a run before we do that again."

Beth sat up and wrapped the blanket around her better before standing and going to the table. "Why? Do we really need to go to the store? We got lots of stuff."

He placed her bowl in front of her and sat down with his own. "Figure while it's cold, we'll stock up, and maybe we won't have to go out as much over the warm months." He cleared his throat and stared at her. "Plus, we need rubbers if we're gonna do that again, and I really hope ya want to. It'll be a lot better next time."

Beth paled a little but seemed to recover quickly and joked, "Better than that? Think highly of yourself, don't ya?"

Shrugging, he took a bite of his food. They ate in silence, but he watched her out of the corner of his eye and felt like he'd been put under a spell or some shit.

"You're starin' at me," she whispered, not looking up.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he whispered back, finally allowing himself to say something true out loud in the daylight. "Can't help lookin'."

Beth blushed and met his gaze. "You're worried, aren't ya?"

He knew exactly what she was talking about, and he nodded. No use in denying it.

"I think we're safe, and if we aren't, we'll be okay." She looked down at her food. "I don't want to seem like I'm brushin' aside somethin' that's huge, either. I just don't think we need to worry about it just yet. We'll be careful from now on."

She reached across the table, and he took her hand without thinking.

"I don't wanna be the reason ya end up hurtin'." He squeezed her hand. "Was that somethin' ya wanted? Ya know, before?"

Beth took her hand back and shrugged before picking up her spoon. "Don't really know. I guess I always thought I would. Then I took care of Judith, and it was natural. Did ya?"

Daryl snorted. "Before this? Hell naw." She quirked an eyebrow, clearly not missing that his answer left out the _now_ part. He didn't give her a chance to ask him about it. Instead, he told herself something that no one knew. "Merle had a kid."

He took a bite of food and could feel Beth's stare.

"A little girl. He didn't know where they moved to, though, so when all this shit happened, he couldn't find her. But, he wanted to. I think she was four or five." He forced himself to take another bite. "Never saw her. Didn't even know she was alive until Merle told me when we were hidin' out in the woods."

"That's awful."

"Yeah, Dixon men ain't the best fathers."

Beth sighed and stirred her oatmeal. "I think ya might surprise yourself, Daryl."

"Like ya said, we don't gotta worry about it just yet. We do need to go out again, though."

"Ya really think that we should gather up that much stuff ahead of time?"

"Don't see why not. If the walkers ain't posin' much of a threat, we should get as much as we can, then we won't have to go out later when they're back to movin' around with purpose."

Beth nodded. "Make sense. Wish we had an atlas."

"We'll get one," he said quickly, hating that he hadn't thought of it already. "Make things a whole lot easier."

Beth finished her food and made to stand, but Daryl reached out and took the bowl first. "I got this."

He rinsed the dishes and set them aside, and then he turned and leaned against the counter.

"I think we should go back to the prison."

She said it so quietly he thought that he imagined it at first. But then she repeated it, and he frowned, confused.

"What the fuck for?"

Beth started fidgeting with the covers around her body and shrugged. "Since the walkers are so slow, I thought we could just see who didn't make it."

Daryl folded his arms over his chest and took his thumbnail between his teeth. "Beth." He shook his head and walked toward her. "Ain't nothin' left of anyone that didn't make it out. There were too many of 'em coming through the fences to leave any dead on the ground."

He watched as she sighed and wiped her cheek. "Even Daddy?"

"Yeah, even him."

She just nodded before standing and walking over to him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest.

"Let's go get your bike, at least."

He scoffed. "Why do ya want that loud-ass thing?"

"Always wanted to ride on it with ya." She peeked up at him and grinned. "Think it would be a fun time."

He cupped the back of her neck and leaned down, kissing her softly before smirking. "I'll show ya a fun time, baby."

* * *

He didn't, though. Instead, Daryl sat in the chair, legs sprawled out in front of him as he watched her dress for their run. He didn't touch her with his hands, but he might as well have. She was about to jump him when he stood and walked over to the door.

"I'll get things ready to go," he muttered and picked up his bow.

"Ya act like ya can't control yourself." She smirked, pulling up her jeans.

"Christ, woman. After last night, I can't. Just wanna toss ya back on the bed and go at it."

Beth smiled and tried to think of something to say to tease him, but he just walked out.

Soon they were slowly driving between trees out to the road, but instead of being all the way in the passenger seat, she was riding in the middle with his arm around her.

He joked about her riding bitch when she scooted over, but she put her hand on his thigh, and he shut up real fast. Maybe after they were done scavenging, she'd move her hand a little higher on the way home.

At the first gas station they saw, Daryl parked and ran inside. He came out with an atlas, wiping his knife against his jeans.

"Two," he answered before she could even ask. He handed her the atlas and said, "We're in Leon. Find us a little bigger of a town."

Beth glanced over the map of Georgia and finally got her bearings. "We're only about two hours from the farm," she whispered, tracing a finger over her hometown's name.

Daryl pointed down a little ways in the opposite direction. "About two hours from the prison."

"Why did it take us so long to find the cabin then?"

Daryl cranked the truck and shrugged. "We spent a few days just running in a daze."

"I don't want to go back to the farm again. Ever." She cleared her throat and looked over the map. "Minden is about 30 miles away, and it's pretty decent sized. What exactly are we looking for?"

"More gas, maybe a little trailer for supplies that won't fit in the bed, and whatever else we can grab. I'm hoping since it's bigger that we won't run into many people, if any."

"It's been a long time since we actually saw someone." Beth tried to hide the emotion in her voice.

Daryl must have heard it anyway because he glanced in her direction. "Ain't gonna let that happen again. Don't worry."

She cuddled into his side and watched as they moved from country to not quite city. It was a decent-sized town, but it wasn't as big as Atlanta or Savannah. They had a Starbucks, and that made it better than the town she grew up in.

The first two places they stopped at were hardware stores. Daryl wanted to go into the Lowe's and look around, but the doors were locked and no telling how many walkers had been trapped inside when they were closed. He settled for mom and pop stores and got several gas cans and a few feet of water hose to syphon out gas from any old cars they might come across.

Beth was in charge of the gardening stuff and things used for canning. By the time they finished at the second place, she had enough mason jars and pectin to can for a while. She just needed a huge pot and some canning accessories to be really serious about saving their food.

If only she could talk him into going into Walmart, she knew she could find everything she needed really fast, but he wasn't too interested in going near the big stores after Lowe's.

"Where to now?" he asked as he slammed the driver's side door.

Beth looked his way and grinned. "Wally World?"

Daryl cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. "Not a fuckin' chance."

"Oh, c'mon! Everything I need is in there!" She huffed.

"Yeah, I bet it is. Everythin' we both need is in that store, and probably a lot of it, but standin' between us and those things is a bunch of fuckin' walkers that've been without anythin' to eat for months."

"We can sneak in through the gardenin' center, stick to the edges, and be super quiet."

"No." He drove out onto the main road, bypassing some struggling walkers in the parking lot.

They ended up near the Walmart anyway. The store was across the highway from a pharmacy/gift shop. She looked over the shelves for anything they could use, and Daryl hopped over the counter toward the ransacked pharmacy area.

He said he knew what he was looking for and she believed him. She idly wondered if he ever did drugs with Merle and decided that he probably did. Maybe not hard stuff, though.

They got a few things that would be good to have then returned to the car. There was one walker close enough to need to be taken care of, and Daryl pulled up his crossbow quickly, taking care of the problem.

"Hey!"

Daryl grabbed Beth and pushed her behind him, aiming the bow at the man who had rounded the corner.

"Whoa! I don't want any trouble. Y'all got a camp near here?"

He was a younger guy, probably mid-twenties, with shaggy hair. He was really thin.

"We don't take in anybody." Daryl kept his bow trained on the man.

"Just a little food, man. Please. I've been walkin' forever."

Daryl shrugged. "Comes down to you eatin' or her? It's gonna be her."

He looked about to cry, and Beth whispered against Daryl's neck. "Just give him a little. He's not gonna last much longer, anyway."

They all stood in silence for a minute before Daryl dropped his bow. "Ya make one wrong move, and I'll put an arrow through ya, ya got me, boy?"

"Yes, sir." The man sagged in relief. "Thank you so much. I've been on the run for the last few weeks. There's this place called Terminus that I was at, but whatever you do, don't fuckin' go there."

Beth tried to move around Daryl, but he pulled on her hip. "Ya stay with me, damn it. Don't go listenin' to that bleedin' heart sob story bullshit. He shoulda known better than to go someplace like that."

"He just wanted to be safe," she said quietly as he picked up some canned food and put it in a plastic sack with an extra can opener he'd picked up.

"Yeah, we heard of that place," Daryl said to the guy in a harsh voice. "Seemed like a buncha horseshit to me. Who offers sanctuary like that?"

"Cannibals," the man whispered, wiping his cheek.

Daryl froze and pushed me toward the truck.

"What the fuck did ya just say?"

"We came through the gates, and they acted so nice, but they must have drugged us with some food right when we came in because we all woke up in a railcar. Then they started picking us off one by one."

"How ya know they were eatin' 'em?"

He took the bag from Daryl and then met Beth's eyes. She shivered at the blank look there and gripped Daryl's vest. "They took me and my brother out of the car and they shot him in the head, and two men started hacking him up. Walkers got through the gate, though, and I ran. I went through a side room and saw body parts, and in another room it was like a smokehouse. Meat hung everywhere. I'm tellin' ya, they had lots of fuckin' meat, and they didn't have animals they were gettin' it from.

"Ya sure I can't stay with y'all? I'm a good man."

"Get in the car, Beth."

"C'mon! Please!" The man dropped to his knees and started begging, but Daryl just backed away. She ducked into the car, and he shut the door behind her.

Beth watched as Daryl walked over to the man and kneeled down. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she saw Daryl drop a knife down beside the man then get up and walk away.

Once they were driving again, Daryl reached for her hand.

"He ain't gonna last. He's all fucked up inside now."

"How do ya know?"

"I seen that look before."

Beth shook her head. "He's been through somethin' awful. Anyone would look like that."

"No, not everyone has _that_ look." He stared at her pointedly before looking back out at the road. "Left him some food and a knife he can either use to protect himself or end it. That's more than he had before he rounded that buildin' and spotted us."

She knew he was right, so she nodded and looked out the window. Daryl let go of her hand and focused on where they were going next. After several minutes of silence, she spoke again. "It sucks that the shitty people are surviving well, and we're scavenging around like squirrels."

Daryl laughed loudly as he turned into the parking lot of a shopping center.

"I got some nuts for ya."

Beth turned her head quickly and saw him smirking, one hand on the wheel, his other arm propped against the open window. He looked years younger in that moment.

"Oh my gosh, you're like a teenage boy!"

He shrugged and pulled into a space in the middle of the empty parking lot. "Ya like me." He was still grinning over at her, and she couldn't resist scooting back to the middle of the bench seat and pulling him in for a kiss.

"I more than like ya, Daryl," she whispered against his lips when she pulled back. His eyes were still closed there was a small half grin turning up his lips.

"A man always likes hearin' that."

Beth traced his scruffy jaw with her fingers and pressed her lips to his again, forgetting for a moment the dark cloud that had settled over them.


	13. Chapter 12

Ch. 12

* * *

The weeks following their trip to Minden passed quickly. They organized all they had found and put away what they wouldn't need until the spring. Beth hadn't talked him into going to Walmart like she wanted, but he found her the stuff she needed at other little stores.

Neither mentioned the man again, but on the way back to the cabin, Daryl stopped at every single railroad crossing, and if there was a sign advertising Terminus, he put a huge X through it and wrote DEATH in big letters. He figured it would warn off the people who saw it, and if they continued, then it was their ass not his.

He thought Beth might want to go there and see if any of their group went through, but she never brought it up. Maybe she felt the same way he did—even if they did go there, it was too late to help them now without ending up dead, too. Still, he didn't think anyone who made it out of the prison would walk into a trap like that.

So on one particularly cold day, they used some of their valuable gas and went back to the prison. There were a few walkers around, but they took care of them pretty fast. Neither went inside the cellblock where they had lived; instead, they walked around the prison yard, staring at the destruction.

He watched as Beth walked to the area where her father had been killed, but there wasn't anything out there to see; he'd already looked when she was sitting at the base of the guard tower.

When Daryl was certain she was all right, he loaded his bike into the back of the truck with the makeshift ramp he'd created from a slab of wood and some cinderblocks. He had some rope and bungee cords to keep it in place, but he wouldn't be too pissed if leaned over during the drive.

He wouldn't be able to drive it around much, anyway. The real reason they went to the prison was so Beth could have some closure—even if she made it seem like it was to retrieve his bike.

When she came back over to the truck, her cheeks were wind chapped and she'd been crying. He pulled her into a hug then opened the door of the truck for her.

They rode in silence for most of the way back to the cabin before Beth started talking again.

"Didn't see Maggie around anywhere." Beth spoke quietly. She was running her fingers over his hand and didn't look up.

"Naw, neither did I."

"I think she got out. The bus was gone, so I'm sure that her and Glenn got out."

Daryl just nodded and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. If it made her feel better to think they survived, he wouldn't say otherwise. Truth was, until they saw their bodies or them as walkers, they couldn't assume they hadn't gotten out. He knew that Maggie probably thought the same thing about Beth, and Glenn probably nodded along with her, too, if they were still alive.

* * *

That had been their last trip out, and he didn't plan on making another until late in the summer. The extreme heat had a slowing effect on the walkers, too. Not nearly as much as the cold, but it was better than nothing. That's when he'd take the bike and Beth for a ride. It was too cold now, and he didn't need either of them getting sick.

Everything else was turning out pretty good for them. They had plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, a whole lot of rubbers courtesy of the twenty different stores he'd looted while in Minden.

She'd laughed at him every time he added more to their bags, but he just wanted to be prepared. He just dipped his head and turned up his lips into that half-grin that made her flush and dropped another box into his pack. She stopped giggling so much when he looked her like that, and it sorta made him feel like a badass.

He'd never had much game when it came to women, but he'd swear Beth thought he was a fuckin' playboy or something. She'd been fishing for more details about his past relationships lately, but she'd laugh it off when he'd get snippy. He started to get offended by her assumptions, especially after the first time he went down on her.

She'd had her arm thrown over her eyes and one hand still tangled in his hair, and he was about two seconds from dropping his pants and grabbing a condom when she asked, "God, Daryl, where'd ya learn to do that?"

He'd stilled is movements, debating whether to tell her the truth or just ignore her question. In the end, he decided that she might like to know they had something they shared with only each other, so he shook off his self-consciousness and said, "First time, too."

"No way." She sat up, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "You're tellin' stories."

Daryl didn't like her saying that or the way she huffed and lay back down.

"Ain't got nothin' to lie about." He stood up from the bed, buckled his belt, and grabbed his shirt and vest. "Damn, woman, you ruin the mood, don't ya? Gotta bust my balls over eatin' pussy?"

When he was crude, she'd usually blush and look away, but that time, she just stared at him as he dressed. She must have known she'd hit a nerve because she looked remorseful immediately. Still, times like that he couldn't stop himself from folding in and making a run for it.

"Daryl, babe, I'm sorry." She wrapped the blanket around her and tried to follow him, but he was already out the door. "Daryl!"

He'd waved over his shoulder and slipped under the fence.

There was something specific she wanted to ask him, and he was just waiting for her to gather up the nerve to do it. In the meantime, she was really testing his patience with all these nosy-ass questions and sarcastic comments.

Over the next few days, Beth was pissier than usual. Sure, she'd talk him and help out, but her answers were short, and she'd lay down at night with her back to him, letting him know that she wasn't interested in touching him.

He'd put up with as long as he could take. Daryl didn't want to talk about this with her at all, but if he didn't, they'd stay sorta fighting. When he came back to the cabin after keeping his snares, Beth was curled up in bed with her back to door—again. Daryl barred the door and pulled off his vest and shirt then toed off his boots before climbing into bed behind her.

He knew she was awake and was just trying to prove her point about being angry by laying there when she should have been up fixing dinner. He probably should have just stayed that night she'd gotten ticked off and told her to say what she wanted to say and be done with it, but he hadn't and he'd been paying for it.

Daryl sighed heavily and bit the bullet. "Just ask me what ya want to know, and we can put all this shit behind us."

Beth froze against him, and after a few seconds, she said, "I'm sorry for sayin' ya lied. It was just so hard to believe." She lowered her voice. "If it helps, you're really good at it."

Daryl snorted and shook his head. "Thanks."

She fiddled with his fingers where they rested on her stomach and spoke quietly. "Were ya ever with anyone from our group? That's what I've been wonderin'. If we ever found 'em again, would you feel like ya've been unfaithful to 'er?"

"Beth, woman, I swear." He rolled away and looked up at the ceiling.

"Ya have." Her voice was hard, and she reached over and pinched his side.

"Ain't like ya think." He looked over at her and ran a hand through her hair. "Can feel ya mind runnin' a million miles an hour."

She raised an eyebrow at him and her lips were a thin line as she said, "Then tell me how it really is. Who was it?"

He shook his head and groaned.

"It was Carol, wasn't it?"

He groaned again and turned his eyes away from hers and into the pillow. "Ain't like ya think."

"Then tell me!" She pushed his shoulder and tried to get him to face her again.

"After the barn and findin' Sophia, she came to my tent and she kissed me. I stopped it pretty quick, but for a few nights after that, she slept beside me. It was a hard time for her." He shrugged and turned his head a little so Beth could see his face. "Next time was after I found her in the prison when we thought she was dead. I wasn't too sure what I was feelin', but I kissed her that time. Things got a little heated, and she was undoing my shirt and my hands were under hers when I pulled away. I was just happy to have her back. She's a really good friend, but that's as far as it goes, as far as we went. She got a little snippy with me because I stopped, and I bitched at her about not wantin' that with her. Things got rough between us for a little while. She tried a couple more times, but nothin' happened. She moved on.

"She's got a similar story to mine, I guess. We're both sorta white trash, come from abusive homes. Didn't want her like that, though."

"Ya miss her?" Beth pressed her hand to her temple and shook her head.

"Yeah," he answered honestly. "About as much as I miss the others. I hope she's all right. Maybe she ran into some of ours after all the shit happened with the Governor."

"Maybe."

"That all ya got on your mind?" He rolled away and planted his feet on the floor.

Beth smiled tightly and nodded. "Yeah. That was it."

"I'll make dinner tonight." Daryl stood up and went to the cabinet. For some reason, talking didn't seem to have relieved any of her worries, but he was just going to try and move on and maybe she would, too. "Ya want peas or green beans?"

* * *

She wasn't sure what she thought about what Daryl had said. Deep down, she already figured that something had happened with Carol, and while she was glad it hadn't gone further, she was also nervous that he had put himself out there with her and then pulled away.

Beth had never known Daryl to go back after making a decision or react impulsively, so that he stopped was a big deal, but it seemed even bigger that he actually started it. Add to that him not explaining the couple of times, and she felt something uncomfortable curl in her chest.

Sometimes she forgot that she was new to the relationship thing and hated that she was so insecure and jealous. Especially considering that she was the only person with him now.

Things got better, though. As the end of winter turned to spring and the cool breezes of spring turned to the hot of early summer, she and Daryl got closer, and she didn't even think that was possible.

He stopped being surly and walking out, and she stopped pestering him about stuff that she knew he was uncomfortable with. Beth wondered if maybe his behavior was a result of her not being so invasive, but she shrugged it off.

Outside the cabin, he was playful wither her. He'd ring his fingers in her belt loops and pull her to him for quick kisses, or he'd tug on her ponytail to get her attention. Occasionally, he'd signal his approach by whistling at her. That only happened when she was bent over, tending to their fledging garden.

She'd shake her butt at him and go back to pulling out weeds or watering their vegetables. Wiggling in his direction always earned her a smack on the ass when he passed, but she'd just laugh and smile at him over her shoulder.

Before all of this, she'd known that Daryl was good man. He provided, he worked hard, he put others before himself at every turn. Since the fall and their months at the cabin, she knew he was great man. He was still all those things like before, but she could add _kind_ and _gentle_ to the list now. She found out that he was passionate and full of love, even if he didn't say it out loud. He'd been lonely before, but now, he had her and she had him. When the day was over and they'd finished dinner, he'd pull her onto his lap and ask her sing for him then he'd take her to bed and they'd both pass out, exhausted, a little while later.

Who knew the end of the world would be the best time of her life?

Daryl calling her name drew her out of her thoughts, and she looked over her shoulder as he held up two rabbits. It was the first meat they'd had in at least a month. With the weather turning pretty hot, Daryl said they'd find more food.

It also meant that the walkers would be feeling better, too, and they'd need to be careful when going outside the fence.

Beth already didn't leave the yard unless Daryl was with her. He'd lost his mind when he couldn't find her about a week ago.

She'd walked down the creek a little ways, hoping to see if it got any deeper so they could bathe outside in the summer months, when she heard him calling her name louder than he ever had before.

Worried that he'd draw attention from any straggling walkers nearby, she'd run back to the cabin. When she saw him, he was scouring the ground—trying to find her tracks, she imagined.

"Daryl? Ya all right?" she asked as she jogged up to the fence.

"What the fuck are ya doin' out there? Don't ya know how many walkers I've dragged up in the last three days?" He pointed to the ground. "Get ya ass under the fence."

Beth raised an eyebrow but scooted under.

"Ya ain't allowed out there by yourself," he added when she stood up.

She laughed. "Daryl, I think ya need to calm down. I was bein' careful. I didn't go far. Now, if ya really feel all that protective of me, ya can ask me not to go outside the fence without ya, but ya ain't gonna act like my daddy."

"You're testin' my patience, woman." He turned, walked to the porch, and slouched down in the chair that she'd brought out there.

Beth followed and sat down on his leg. "I'm sorry I made ya worry."

"I'm sorry I acted like an asshole when I saw ya on the other side of the fence."

It had been good to apologize. They'd actually gotten really good at what came after the apology, too, she thought with a smile. He'd tell her what he wanted her to do, and she wasn't shy anymore about giving him directions, either.

"Those look good," she said, nodding to the rabbits.

"Fat little bastards, aren't they? Been hiding out and eatin' all the shit they can find." He slid under the fence and grinned. "How ya want 'em cooked?"

"Fried with gravy."

He laughed and kissed her hard. "I done fucked the sense out of ya, haven't I?"

Beth rolled her eyes and looked away, trying to hide her smile. "Don't ask me questions about food. Ya know how I get."

She'd become obsessed recently, thinking about all the foods she used to eat and how nothing they made measured up. Daryl thought she was insane—at least they had food—and she knew she was being silly.

"Ya'd think ya were knocked up." He smirked and started cleaning the rabbits while they sat on the porch steps.

She hadn't gotten her period, but she was pretty sure she wasn't pregnant, either. She'd felt exactly the same, and by now she should have been puking and terribly tired and probably have a small bump. At least that was how Lori had felt during the early days of her pregnancy.

"Awww, ya wanna be my baby daddy, Daryl?" She put a hand over her heart and sighed.

"Don't say shit like that. Makes ya sound trashy," he muttered, concentrating on what he was doing.

"If we ever find the others, my sister is gonna have your balls, Dixon."

Daryl actually laughed out loud and looked up at her. "Don't I know that. Your daddy would beat my ass all over Georgia if he was around and knew what I was doin' with ya."

"My daddy liked you, Daryl."

He stopped skinning the rabbit and gave her his full attention. "He did. He thought I was a good guy. Gave me lots of chances to prove myself and depended on me a lot. But there's a big damn difference in knowin' someone is good and lettin' him mess around with your daughter."

Beth huffed and rolled her eyes. "I knew Daddy a lot longer than ya did, so I think I get to say what he would and wouldn't like. He liked ya, and he wouldn't mind us bein' together so long as ya were good to me."

Then he did that stupid grin that made her melt into a puddle and asked, "Am I good to ya, girl?"

Knowing good and well he wasn't talking about bringing home dinner, she tugged on his hair as she passed him on the steps.

"Remains to be seen."

"Ya give me a minute, and I'll show ya." He grabbed his knife and picked up the rabbit again.

Beth went inside and looked around for her scissors. When she came back out, Daryl was finishing up with the second rabbit.

"Get on back in there." He pointed to the door, walking toward her. "Got plans."

"Nope." She motioned with the scissors to the chair, and he groaned.

"Why ya always wanna cut my damn hair."

"So ya can't hide those eyes from me."

Daryl closed his eyes and tilted his head so she could get a better look at his hair. For a minute, she just ran her fingers through his hair and smiled. She loved the feel of him—all of him.

"Don't mess up. Don't want the walkers makin' fun of me," he mumbled. He liked her touching him, too. He was just too stubborn to admit it.

* * *

Beth and Daryl huddled against the porch window, peeping through the opening between the slats, watching the herd pass by.

Neither spoke, but he knew she was scared as hell because she was shaking. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

They'd heard the explosion a few hours ago, and they immediately pulled the dead walkers closer along the fence and used some of their blood to coat the barbed wire. Then they fled inside and barred the door.

While they were doing all that, two more explosions sounded and seemed to rock the ground. Whatever had happened, it happened within ten miles of where they were, he guessed.

Once inside, they washed off quickly and changed clothes. After that, Beth packed several bags, and he had them waiting by the door in case they needed to run fast.

The truck wasn't that far, but he needed a diversion in case something got through their fence. When the first walkers showed up, he grabbed the gas can they stored in the corner and poured some into one of Beth's mason jars. He dipped a cloth in kerosene from their lamp and secured the lid around it loosely.

"What's that called?" Beth whispered as he set it on the counter beside the window over the sink.

He laughed softly. "Don't really know. Merle just said, 'Hold my beer and watch this.' Worked then. It'll work now."

Now, a bigger herd than he had ever seen stumbled through the woods toward the noise. Daryl could smell the smoke in the air, so he knew whatever went down was big and probably crawling with walkers from all over.

Their fence stood strong so far. Most of the walkers missed it altogether, but a few got caught and were dragged along the barbs, leaving scraps of decaying skin hanging behind.

"Go lay down. I'll keep a watch on this." His voice was barely audible.

Beth gasped beside him and slapped a hand over her mouth. Daryl turned back to the crack and saw what had shocked her.

Trudging along was a new fairly new walker, judging by its appearance.

Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat and looked away. If he could, he'd send an arrow out and end Tyreese's misery, but there was no way to do that without drawing attention.

Instead, they watched their old friend through the dying light of day until he was out of sight.


	14. Chapter 13

Ch. 13

* * *

For two days after the last of the walkers disappeared into the trees, neither left the cabin.

Beth was lost in her own thoughts a lot of the time, and Daryl was worried that walkers would turn around and head back in their direction after they found the source of the noise. It stormed during that time, so the garden was watered and fine. They just hunkered down and kept quiet—most of the time, at least.

To keep her mind off things, Beth made a calendar.

"Well, it stormed and didn't bring down a cold front. It's humid, everything is growing all over, and our garden is starting to sprout. I declare this day May fifteenth. And it's a Thursday."

Daryl shrugged. "That works for me."

Hell, if she wanted to keep the days, he didn't see any harm in it. It would also help them keep track of how long they'd been on their own. As best as Daryl could figure, it had been about November when the governor attacked the prison, so he and Beth had been on their own nearly seven months.

They didn't know how many of their group were still around, but when it got really hot, they'd go through some nearby towns for supplies and see if they could find any clues as to if they'd been there.

Seeing Tyreese had lit a fire under him and made him realize they needed to be actively looking for the others. He felt like shit some days for getting so wrapped up in his own little world and leaving them out to dry. Then he'd think maybe they'd got lucky like him and had found a good place to lie low.

Beth was usually really good at taking his mind off things when he got caught up in his own head, which is what lead to them being only sorta quiet when the herd was passing.

"When's your birthday?" she asked as she drew several calendar boxes in the notebook she'd taken from a store on one of their runs. "Mine is November sixteenth. I imagine that happened after the prison, so I'm nineteen now!"

"Makes me feel like I'm less of a pervert," he joked and flicked her ponytail.

She rolled her eyes and kept making her boxes. Truth was, he never really felt bad about their age difference. Beth knew her own mind, and he damn sure didn't force her. He'd been nervous to start anything with her because he didn't think Hershel would have approved and because he was afraid of depending on someone like that.

He'd overcome both of those things pretty much. Still didn't say how he felt, but he showed her, and he imagined she was right. As long as he treated her well, Hershel would have been fine with them together.

"Your birthday, Daryl?" she asked again, ignoring his comment completely.

"August first."

She looked up and smiled. "I got time to find ya a gift, then."

Instead of being serious and telling her he didn't want any gifts or that his birthdays had always been shit, he smirked and palmed his dick. "I know what ya can give me."

Beth scoffed. "So much for not bein' a pervert."

Daryl shrugged and took one of his last cigarettes out of the pack.

"How old do ya think ya are?"

He lit the end and took a deep pull. "Thirty-four, thirty-five? Don't know for sure."

"Let's say you're thirty-four and will turn thirty-five, okay?"

"Sure, baby. Fine by me."

The rest of the day was filled with more questions about different dates. She smiled as she wrote down their anniversary, or as close as she could guess, into a box toward the end of January and frowned as she circled the date of the explosions days before.

He didn't really get why she was putting so much effort into creating a timeline, but he didn't question her. This was how she survived. She liked dates and events to look forward to and celebrate, and well, he just needed her.

It was funny how that shift had happened so quietly for him. One day he was certain she was the just the bright spot in his world, and then she _became_ the world. Even with all the chaos surrounding them, he wanted to experience everything with her. He wanted a tangible connection between them so that when she realized just how much better she could do, he'd still have something of hers. What they had was too good to be true for him, and there was a voice in the back of his mind that said she'd leave.

It was overwhelming to think about needing someone that much, and he often shook his head at the thought of Carol being meant for that in his life. If anything, the last few months had taught him that he often confused friendship with romantic feelings, and that happiness, relief—or hell, even sadness or anger—didn't need to be shown through physical affection.

If they were found, he'd snap someone's neck if they came at Beth like he did that one day with Carol. Ain't no one but him laying their hands or lips on hers.

Daryl rolled his shoulders and sighed before going to lay on the bed. It was early in the evening and Beth had just started to make dinner, so there wasn't much left for him to do. Listening to Beth sing, he took his lighter from his pocket and started tossing it up in the air.

She hit a particularly beautiful part of the hymn, and he glanced over at her while the lighter was still in the air. It landed on his chest and bounced onto the floor, finally skidding to a stop under the bed.

Beth jumped and turned around quickly with her hand over her heart.

"Just dropped my lighter. Calm your nerves," he muttered, embarrassed that he'd scared her. She turned back to the stove, letting out a deep breath but not saying anything in response.

Daryl leaned over the bed to see underneath and grabbed his lighter. He reached up and put it on the nightstand and then grabbed the book that lay just under the edge of the bed.

He remembered her reaction so many days ago when he asked what it was about, so he picked it up with a shrug. He'd see what all that blushing was about. When he finally looked at the cover, he blinked a few times, thinking he was seeing things, then read the title a second time.

_What the Duke Requires_

"The fuck?" he said under his breath and looked at the woman clinging to the half-dressed man on the cover.

Beth was still in her own world, so he flicked through the pages, and his eyes widened on the words in the middle of the book.

* * *

Beth finished combining the different vegetables together along with some canned chicken broth to make their soup that night. She was going to cook some of their brown rice in little bit. It wouldn't be a big meal, but it would definitely fill them up.

Turning around to look at Daryl, she nearly choked on her tongue when she saw the shit-eating grin on his face.

"Well, well, well." He shook the book at her. "Miss Greene, ya got some explain' to do."

Beth was sure her face turned the color of a tomato as she marched across the room to pull the book from his hands.

"Give it back to me, Daryl."

"Ya like this shit?" He smirked, opening the book to where his finger was marking the page. "She writhed underneath him as his fingers plundered her depths." He cocked an eyebrow. " 'Edmund!' she screamed and gripped the bed sheets. Her nectar flooded from her core and flavor burst across his tongue like ambrosia."

Beth didn't know it was possible to turn redder or be more embarrassed until he read the last sentence in that lazy drawl of his.

"Oh, good Lord." She palmed her cheeks. "Please, put the book up."

"What the fuck happened to that woman? She need a doctor?" He laughed and she watched his eyes skim down the page. "Ohhhh, this is where it gets good!" Daryl hopped over the bed as she charged toward him. "Rosalinda, bucked off the bed as he speared her secret place with his staff, immediately letting herself go with pleasure."

"Daryl Dixon!" Beth yelled, trying to run around the bed to him again, but he just hopped back over, almost doubling over with laughter.

"Did he just stab her in the pussy?"

"I swear on all things holy, if ya don't put that book down, I'ma shoot ya with your own bow."

"C'mon now. Things are just getting good for ol' Edmunch here." She didn't laugh at his joke, but he did. "Oh yeah, here we go. 'Her velvet insides pulsed around his man root and he lost all control. 'I love you, Rosa!' he confessed in a ragged whimper.' "

That did it. He started laughing uncontrollably, and it allowed Beth to grab the book and toss it into the fire in the stove.

"What a fuckin' pussy. He gets a nut and starts cryin' about love." He flopped back on the bed. "That shit's ridiculous. Ya didn't think that was what sex was like, did ya? Lord have mercy." He chuckled softly before wiping his eyes.

"You're such an asshole." Beth slapped his leg and went back to the stove.

He gathered himself together, walked over to her, and circled her waist with his arms. "Oh, baby, I's just playin'." He nipped at her neck and whispered against her jaw. "Want me to plunder your depths?"

"Dear Lord, Daryl." She shook her head and laughed for the first time. "That's so embarrassin'."

"Hell, I'll even talk dirty, too. Ears'll probably turn pink every time I look at ya after for awhile, but I know ya like it when I whisper in your ear," he said the last word they way he would if he were in bed with her, and goosebumps popped up along her skin. "Yeah, ya like that."

"You're dangerous," she breathed, keeping her eyes on the soup.

"Yeah?" He ran his nose along her neck.

"Uh-huh." She turned her head to the side, letting his lips skim across her skin. "Can't ever say no to ya."

"Do ya want to?" Daryl palmed her stomach and her pulled her back to him, rubbing his hard-on against her.

"Never."

"Gimme those lips."

She turned her head to the side and let him lead their kiss.

Since they'd become intimate, Beth learned that Daryl never did anything half-assed. If he kissed her, it was hard and purposeful. When they made love, he did it with one goal in my mind—and it wasn't getting himself off.

She turned in his arms as he deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Daryl's hands skimmed down her back, and when he got to her butt, he lifted her. He did this a lot. Said he like her all wrapped around him.

When he reached the bed, he laid her back and slid her jeans down her legs. He tossed them across the room along with her panties then reached behind his neck and tugged his beater over his head.

As he started to unbuckle his belt, he smirked down at her. "Whatcha waitin' for?" He reached out and thumbed the edge of her t-shirt. "Wanna see your tits."

Beth made a face and he laughed. "Ya know I don't like that word."

Instead of undressing, he leaned over her and pushed her back to the bed.

"I ain't sayin' breasts." His forehead scrunched up. He could be so cute when he wanted to be. "Boobs is stupid. Boobs." He drew out the _oo_ sound in the middle and sounded like a cow.

Daryl kissed her again and drew her bottom lip into his mouth before biting down softly. "C'mon, baby, let me see ya titties now."

"Such a charmer." She gasped as he sucked on the skin of her neck. "I don't understand why I don't strip down every time ya walk in."

He grinned and yanked on her shirt. "I ask myself the same damn question."

Beth had to laugh at his words as she sat up and helped him pull off her shirt and bra, and then he threw them somewhere behind them.

"Betcha already wet," he whispered against her cheek as he ran his hand down her stomach.

He did that when they were messing around–talked against her skin. It drove her crazy with want, but he did it because he liked to have some privacy when he said those things. If he wasn't looking into her eyes, he wasn't all that uncomfortable. She knew that it was his fear of her reaction that made him do it, but he seemed to have learned fast that she always reacted well and even more so when his words tickled her skin.

She rubbed her thighs together as his lips followed the path of his hand, stopping to lick and suck on her breasts.

Beth gripped his shoulders and moaned as his fingers finally slid home.

"Told ya." He grinned against her pebbled nipple. "Damn, girl, ya already right for my dick."

He pumped his fingers a few more times, making her arch up to met him as he started pulling them further back. In an instant, he pulled back and shed his jeans. Beth reached over to the drawer and grabbed the condom as he watched. The last few times, she'd been the one to remember the protection, and she wondered just how much of that was intentional on his part.

"Put it on me," he said in a ragged voice.

Beth tore the side off and tossed the wrapper on the nightstand. She took him in her hand, sliding up and down and brushing her thumb over his sensitive head a couple of times before he stilled her hand and said, "Now."

As soon as it was in place, she was on her back and he was thrusting inside.

She cried out and put a hand on the back of his neck while the other tangled with his fingers at her hip. He tilted her hips up and repeatedly hit a spot that made her pant against his neck.

"Right there?" He thrust harder. "Ya like that?"

"Yes, oh my God, yes!"

His lips worked over her shoulder, and he sucked hard when she clenched around him.

Daryl untangled their fingers and hooked his arm around her right knee, pulling it up to lay on his shoulder and then leaned back down.

"Fuckin' bendy," he muttered, taking her lips in a deep kiss.

When he sat back a little, he looked down, watching himself slide inside her. His tongue peeked out between his lip, and she wanted to suck on it, but couldn't reach to pull him back down. Besides, she loved when he looked so lost in her, so she settled for sliding her hand down her stomach and watching as his eyes narrowed when she reached right where they were joined. Beth circled her clit, and on each thrust, she let her fingers brush his dick on the way back out. Daryl groaned with each soft touch, and when she started to flick her clit again, she dragged her other hand down his flat stomach, scratching softly.

Daryl bucked against her hard. "Shit. Fuck." He groaned, stilling against her. After a few seconds, he threw her leg off his shoulder and tossed the condom to the floor.

"Fuckin' tease."

Before she could joke, his tongue was between her legs, and she had her head thrown back.

When he did this, she lost all control. She loved to orgasm with him inside her, but looking down and seeing his head between her thighs with his tongue licking her?

She couldn't help herself.

"Oh fuck." She moaned.

Daryl pinched her thigh. "Language."

She could see his grin and knew he liked it, so she kept it up. Soon she was begging him to make her come. Hearing her pleas made him work that much harder.

"Give it to me, baby. Come on my fingers." He skimmed his tongue against her clit.

"Oh please, please…" she mumbled, tugging his hair. "Suck me," she whimpered.

She was gone as soon as his lips replaced his tongue.

"Daryl!" Beth moaned and arched up her hips to his mouth.

Before she could open her eyes, he lifted her up and moved her to straddle his lap.

"Didn't even feel ya move," she said as leaned her forehead against his.

"Ride me?" he asked, lifting her up over his dick.

"Ya ready so soon?"

He laughed breathily. "Not really. You're makin' so much noise ya got me hard again. Wanna feel ya for a bit."

Beth sank down on him and sighed. "Ya feel so good inside me," she said quietly against his shoulder. She licked and kissed at the marks she'd made on his skin as he raised her over him.

She loved his strength, how he could hold her up or move her any way he wanted.

"Damn, woman, ya should let me go bare all the time. Feel all of ya." He kissed up her jaw to her ear and sucked the lobe into his mouth. When his breath ghosted over the wet skin, she shivered, and he whispered, "Don't ya want my babies?"

There was something in his voice that made Beth try and pull back, but he had her pinned against him as he moved in and out of her body. He hit that same spot as before and she gasped.

"In a heartbeat."

Daryl pulled out and rolled her over, kissing her deep and hard. They stayed like that for a while, just running their hands and lips along some part of the other's body.

When he rolled over on his back, he pulled her to him, arm around her shoulder and the other behind his head.

Beth debated for a brief second before placing her hand on his chest and whispering, "I love ya, ya know?"

Daryl froze against her for a moment before he tilted his head and brushed his lips against hers.

"I know."

* * *

After she fell asleep, he got out of bed and fixed a bowl of soup. He was fuckin' hungry from missing dinner and that workout with Beth, but he wouldn't have traded it for anything.

He looked over at the bed and felt like an asshole again. He'd been on the verge of saying those words back, but for some reason, they'd died in his throat. Damn, he'd asked her about babies not minutes before then clammed up over three little words?

Daryl wasn't good with turning what he felt into what he said, so he took a deep breath and started thinking about actions.

If this had been before, what would have been the next step for him?

With a plan in mind, he put his dish in the sink and then slipped back under the covers, loving the feel of her bare skin against his.


	15. Chapter 14

Ch. 14

* * *

A few days later, Daryl stared at the dirty window of a deserted tattoo parlor in Minden. He'd left before the sun had risen and walked his bike through the woods to the road so that Beth wouldn't wake up until he was long gone.

He left her note saying he'd be back later that day, but he knew she'd be pissed when he got back to the cabin, especially since he took the bike. She'd been on him to go for a ride since all the walkers had seemed to drift off after the explosions.

As he walked toward the back, he listened carefully for any sounds of walkers in the building. The doors had been locked, so it was a pretty safe bet that there were none inside. There wasn't anything to take from this place that would be useful for survival anyway, so it had been left untouched since its owners had tried to get away.

It didn't take him long to grab the little bottle of black ink and then he was on his way. Next, he went a few miles down the road to a fabric store and grabbed some safety pins.

_You're such a fuckin' pussy, aren't ya? _Merle's voice rang through his thoughts, and he cringed.

The he more he thought about his idea, the more he hated it and felt stupid. Beth wasn't the type of girl to fall over herself for something like this, he thought. Daryl straddled his bike and seriously considered dumping the shit he'd just grabbed all over the parking lot and going back to the cabin.

"_I love you, ya know?"_ It sang through his thoughts, and he gripped the handles tighter. He needed to do _something_.

_How about just telling her how ya feel? That ya gone soft?_

"Good Lord," he muttered.

When he moved on to his final destination, he just felt like a huge prick, but he kept on going. Even if he had all the things he needed, he could still change his mind later, he reasoned.

If he risked getting this far out already, he might as well go all the way. He laughed as he broke in the building and wondered just what the hell Beth had done to him to make him commit his first B&amp;E at a jewelry store.

* * *

He was gone and so was the bike. Needless to say, Beth was _not _happy.

She paced the porch all afternoon as she waited for him to come through the trees. She'd almost talked herself into walking toward the road and meeting his sorry ass when he finally appeared, looking tired, his front covered in walker blood.

All anger drained away as she sprinted toward the fence and slid under.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she reached him. He looked past her, ignoring her question with a blank look in his eyes. "Daryl?" She touched his hand to help him push the bike beside the truck. "You're not bit, right?"

She knew there was no way he'd come back here if that had been the case, but she couldn't stop the question from bursting out.

"Naw." He shook his head.

She noticed two of his fingers on his left hand were covered in small strips of gauze, and she ran her fingers over them. "This okay? Ya need me to look at it?" She knew he kept stuff in his bag just in case he had an accident, but he probably needed to clean them better than he had.

Daryl yanked his hand back, shaking his head. "I'm fine. Just need to get cleaned up."

She moved out of his way so he could go under the fence. When he got to the middle of their yard, he started taking off his clothes. He tossed everything into a pile except his vest. That he chucked toward the porch. "I'll wash it off later."

"What are ya doin'?" Beth asked as he kneeled down and pulled the lighter from his jeans pocket.

"Ain't no cleanin' this shit. Just gonna burn 'em."

Beth took a few steps back, trying to understand his reasoning. The man was naked in the yard, burning clothes that could have been cleaned.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"Not a damn thing," he muttered. "Stop askin'."

"Daryl, if ya were watchin' what I'm watchin', ya wouldn't think that nothin' happened."

He waited until the fire was burning good then walked into the cabin. She was torn between following him and keeping an eye on the fire. It was really dry, and she didn't want the woods to go up around them because he'd checked out for a little while.

When he came back out a few minutes later, he was dressed in clean clothes, and he took his vest to the creek. Not once did he look in her direction or acknowledge her presence. Once she was satisfied that the fire wasn't going to spread, she walked to the creek as quickly as she could. Normally, she wouldn't have left the fire since it could have drawn attention, but she had to chase after Daryl. Something had happened, and he needed her no matter how much he pushed her away.

"Go away, please," he said quietly as he washed the faded angel wings on the back of the leather.

Beth started to ask again what had happened, but she saw tear tracks on his face, and all of a sudden everything fell into place.

"Who was it?" she whispered, staring blindly at the rushing water.

Daryl coughed and wiped his cheeks but didn't answer.

"Tell me now." Her voice was stronger, but inside she was crumbling.

He shook his head and laid down the vest on the bank. His breaths started to come out quickly as he tried to stand and move away from her. When they were several feet apart, Daryl sat down at the base of a huge oak tree. Only then did he meet her eyes, and what she saw there broke her, and she started to cry, too.

"Found Rick's hat in the road." He cleared his throat. "Thought it was a good sign that they were near, so I started trackin' from that. Looked like somethin' happened at their camp. Dozens of walker footprints, Beth. Everyone was gone, though, so I followed a bunch of walker tracks hopin' I'd spot somethin'." He tilted his head up at the sky, and the next words out of his mouth made her fall to her knees. "They didn't finish eatin' him. I guess they got distracted by another noise 'cause he'd turned. I, uh, took care of it quick, ya know? Wouldn't've wanted Maggie to see him like that if they went back."

They cried together, neither speaking for several minutes, and then Daryl stood up and walked over to her. "I didn't find your sister. I followed a bunch of tracks, and it looks like they all met back up, but it was gettin' late, and I had to get back to ya."

Beth could only nod. She couldn't believe he was gone, and she couldn't imagine how Maggie would feel knowing the truth. It would be worse, though, to never know what had happened, she reasoned.

He was such a good man, and he made Maggie so happy. Now, she'd lost him just months after losing Daddy, and she probably thought Beth was dead, too.

Daryl picked her up and carried her back to the fence. She went under and walked to the cabin with him behind her. She knew that he'd never tell her the whole story of finding his walker body and having to kill him, but she didn't need to know. All that really mattered was that they had lost another member of their family.

"I'll find her for ya," he promised as he walked up beside her.

"She's gonna need us."

"Don't know about needin' me, but she's gonna need ya. You're all she's got left."

Those words haunted Beth's thoughts all night long as she lay beside Daryl. He wasn't sleeping all that well. Several times he woke up gasping and looked over at her. It was almost like he was making sure she was still there.

She knew the feeling.

Once he was back to sleep, she walked over the table where her calendar lay, and in small, neat letters she wrote "Glenn" in the box for May twenty-first.

* * *

He wanted to fucking punch something. She'd kept him from leaving the last few days because she was worried about him going out on his own, but he refused to let her go with him. He had lost damn near a week with all her hovering.

He held a lot of guilt for not being there sooner to run into whoever had dropped Rick's hat. He knew it was Carl, though, and he blamed himself for being so wrapped up in creating some romantic gesture to prove to Beth that he was crazy about her that he wasn't there to help him. Ain't no way that boy would have let it go on his own. There was no blood near it or trailing off, so he hoped that he'd gotten away.

The hat was now tucked away in his saddlebag on his bike along with all the shit he'd went around to get that day. He still wore the gauze on his fingers and avoided all Beth's attempts to help him take care of the injury.

"We ain't gonna find 'em sittin' around here with our thumbs up our asses, Beth. I gotta go and track 'em."

"What happens if ya don't come back?" She slammed down two cans of food on the counter. "Ya just want me to sit here and hope for the best? If ya go, I go."

"Damn it, woman, I waited here long enough for ya to come to your senses about this. Ya can't stop me." He walked out the door and started for the side of the fence where their vehicles were.

He heard her follow him out, but she stayed on the porch.

"Ya leave without me, Daryl, and ya better get comfy in a tree, because I'm barrin' this door and won't let ya back in."

"Like hell ya can keep me out." He laughed and went under the fence.

He felt like shit all day as he searched around Minden. He'd brought their truck, but he tracked them on foot most of the day. Judging from the human tracks he'd seen, he determined there were six people in their camp. Now they were a group of five that had just suffered a terrible loss, so he figured that they were holed up somewhere just trying to keep it together.

Daryl found nothing, though. It was like they'd just disappeared.

When he made it back to the cabin, Beth had barred the door. Even though she was mad, she'd left him a container of food on the porch railing that he gladly ate before he fell asleep in the sleeping bag she'd also left outside. He was gone the next morning before she woke up and still had no luck finding any sign of them even though he'd expanded the area he was searching.

He thought about Beth the whole time he was gone. He knew she was angry with him, and she had a right to be. She was more than capable of taking care of herself and would have been good at looking for signs of the others, but he just kept seeing Glenn over and over in his thoughts, and he couldn't risk it. There was be no way he'd be able to go on if something happened to her, and he didn't want her to have to take care of him should he get bit or turn.

Two nights of sleeping on the porch caught up with him. and on the third day, he didn't head out to look again. Instead, he waited until he heard her moving around inside the cabin, and he knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" she asked politely.

"Ya know damn good and well who it is," he muttered, leaning his head against the door. "I'm sorry." He heard her remove one board. "I shoulda taken ya with me." Another one moved. "I was an asshole." The last two scraped against the door, and she pulled it open.

"I missed ya." She moved to let him in.

"Missed ya, too."

As they were eating breakfast, Beth asked, "Any sign of 'em?"

Daryl shook his head and told her about what he'd discovered on the past two trips he'd taken—which wasn't much at all.

"Maybe they're still running in the other direction, ya know? I mean, after the prison, we didn't stop running for what felt like hours."

"Could be."

"Ya wanna go look today?"

He thought about it and then shook his head. "I need to go out and check the snares. It's been a couple of days and ya know how fast walkers snatch up whatever gets caught."

Beth nodded and stood up from the table. "I'll go with ya."

Daryl cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry again. I was just shook up from it all and didn't want ya near it."

"I know." She walked over to him and sat on his lap. "Why do ya think I didn't follow ya?" Beth palmed his cheek and turned his face to hers. "Sometimes ya get so lost up here." She touched his temple.

"I can't believe I can't find 'em."

"At least we know they're close by." She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. "Things will be okay."

He wondered how she managed to hold it together so well and remembered not too long ago he was bitching at other people about their depressing outlook on things. He used to be zen. What the fuck happened?

Beth, and with her, the realization that he finally had something he couldn't stand to lose.

Daryl scrubbed a hand over his face and tapped her hip with his hand.

"Get up, woman. Let's go see about getting us some rabbit."

"Or pizza." She winked when he looked her way.

"Next time we're out, I'll rob ya a Pizza Hut, okay?"

The moan that escaped her gave him other ideas completely.

"I would love you forever if ya got me some stuff from there. God knows what kinda preservatives are in there to keep it good for so long, but I don't care." She licked her lips. "Garlic dippin' sauce, Daryl. Mmmm-hmmm."

He was ready to go looking for a Pizza Hut right then when she picked up his bow and handed it to him.

"Next time we go to town. Promise me." She held out her pinkie, but he just stared at her. "You're supposed to link yours with mine. It's an unbreakable pact."

Daryl cocked an eyebrow but did it anyway.

"Now you're stuck bringin' me expired marinara and pizza crust for the rest of your life."

He found that he didn't mind that too much at all, and that brought him back to the original intention of his big trip days before. If he hadn't gone, he wouldn't know the others were close and he wouldn't have been able to take the burden of putting down Glenn instead of Maggie finding him and seeing him like that.

Even with the dark cloud of Glenn's death hovering over them, he knew that the only way to survive in this world was to remember the fallen and keep moving forward.

With that in mind, he made a side trip to his bike before following her out into the woods to look for game.

* * *

They had been walking for a few minutes when Daryl started fidgeting with his bow strap. She ignored it, thinking he was just full of nervous energy or stressing himself over looking for the group again soon. There wasn't anything she could do to ease his tension. That would only happen when he knew for sure what had happened to the others.

They should have looked harder when it was cold, but after what happened with those men, neither was too concerned with getting out more than needed or finding more than what they could use to survive.

It was selfish of them, but for a few months, they were content and safe.

Beth glanced over at Daryl, admiring the scruffy line of his jaw and way his hair was pushed back off his forehead. She cut it regularly now, and it looked the way it had when she first met him. She loved it like that, especially since it was getting a little sun-bleached from being outside. She contained a sigh and looked away. He might not be a pretty man, but he was sure a handsome one.

They continued on in silence for a while longer while Beth appreciated the view. Her job was to keep an eye out for walkers or people. He was doing the same, but he was a lot better at it than she was. She told herself to pay closer attention and stop daydreaming about Daryl Dixon, but she failed.

It was only when he spoke that she stopped the scene she was playing out in her head. "I, uh"—he cleared his throat—"I got ya somethin' the other day."

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a little velvet bag. Beth reached out and he dropped it in her hand like it was on fire. Daryl went back to toying with his strap and looking away. "Just thought ya'd like it," he muttered.

Beth pulled the strings and tipped the bag over, genuinely curious as to what little treasure he'd found and wanted to bring her. Never in a million years did she expect the small ring that landed in her hand. It was silver, but she knew it wasn't actually silver, it was probably white gold or platinum with little diamonds on the band leading up to a square-cut diamond that sparkled when the sun hit it. It was beautiful and simple, and she couldn't even think. She just stared at it in her palm, wondering what in the world it meant or what she was supposed to say.

He hadn't asked her anything, but why would he bring her a ring unless it was _that_ kind of ring?

She must have been silent for too long because Daryl reached for the ring, but she pulled it back.

"If ya don't want it, that's fine." He was chewing on his thumbnail and looking anywhere but at her. "Fuckin' terrible idea," he ground out.

"I want it," she said, staring back down at the ring. "I, just—Daryl what does this mean?"

"What the fuck ya mean?" His brow was creased and he was looking down at his boots. "It's a ring. I broke a damn jewelry case for that bastard."

Beth laughed softly and shook her head. This was not how she ever imagined being proposed to. She wanted to shake him and tell him to grow a pair when he started talking again.

"Can't do things like before, so I guess it ain't like a promise. I ain't askin' ya to, ya know, have a big ceremony one day. I'm... I'm—" Daryl ran a hand over his jaw and finally looked into her eyes. "I care a lot about ya, and I want ya to know how much and to know how I see ya in my life."

"Ya wanted to do this for me?" Beth bit her lip and felt her eyes water.

"Ya and me are different." He shrugged. "I'd be fine with the way things are forever, and I'd know what we were to each other here." He placed a hand on his chest. "Ya would have known, too, but ya'd like to have somethin' ya could see, too."

Beth nodded because he was absolutely right.

"So, you're askin' me to marry you?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Just said we can't have a real weddin'. I want to call ya my wife."

She smiled so big as his ears pinked. He didn't like to say things like this, and he'd gone so out of his comfort zone for her it was ridiculous. The man couldn't say the words without shifting around and he hadn't even said _I love you_, but when he looked at her, she knew that in his eyes, the sun rose and fell with her.

"I want that, too."

Daryl's lips turned up in that half-grin she loved, and he whispered, "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Daryl brushed off his nose and looked out over the woods. "Guess we better get to finding those snares. Done walked past 'em twice." He took a few steps and turned when she didn't follow. "C'mon, woman."

"Daryl Dixon, ya get over here and put this ring on my finger."

He licked his lips as he walked toward her and picked up the ring from her palm. His calloused fingers slid over her hand, causing her to shiver. Then in a simple movement, he slid it down her left ring finger.

He held her hand and nodded. "Looks good." Then he linked their fingers and turned around, pulling her along behind him.

She followed silently, biting her lip to keep all the excited squeals inside, but she couldn't stop the slight bounce in her step.


	16. Chapter 15

Ch. 15

* * *

He didn't want to look back at her because he didn't want her to see the huge grin on his face.

It was stupid, but he was self-conscious, and he'd just said a whole lot more than he'd planned to. Daryl should have known better than to expect her to just put the ring on and let it be. Even with all the talking, he couldn't help feeling like his chest was all puffed up with pride.

Beth squeezed his hand, and he turned his head to glance over at her.

"Ya think we're safe out here? Ya seen any tracks or heard any walkers?"

Daryl squinted at her and then went back to looking over the area. "Ain't seen any walker tracks that were new. Some were a few days old, but they were back that way." He pointed over his shoulder. "We're as safe as we can be, I guess." He wasn't sure why she was asking. He'd make sure they were all right.

"Good."

Her hands were on his shoulders, and she pushed him back against the nearest tree. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, pulling on the buckle of his belt. He had barely responded to the kiss when she dropped down to her knees in front of him.

"Oh, hell." He looked down and watched her pull his jeans down his legs and begin to stroke his semi-hard dick. He was so torn. He didn't like her kneeling in front of him like that—but he kinda did. His dick grew harder with each movement of her hand, and he stopped caring if it was right or wrong to like seeing her down there before him. Daryl leaned his head back against the tree and fought the urge to tangle his hands in her hair and pull her mouth down on him.

This wasn't new; she'd done this to him before, but never like this. They'd been laying in bed together before. Now, he was looming over her. He peeked down at her and met her gaze as she licked him.

He groaned when she took him fully in her mouth, and he fisted his hands at his side. His bow was digging his back as he pushed himself harder against the tree, but he didn't even give a shit about the pain. All he could even pay attention to was her bobbing along his dick, sucking him hard.

Beth's hand trailed up his thigh, and she reached out and took his hand, uncurling it and bringing it to her hair. She pulled off him but took him in her hand. "Ya can," she whispered. "I don't mind."

"Christ," he moaned, wrapping his hands in her hair as she went back to sucking him off.

He pulled her hair to the side and watched, fucking mesmerized by the sight of her lips moving over him. He was getting so close, but he didn't want it to end like this, so he tugged her to stand and turned them so her back was against the tree.

She kicked off one boot and tugged one of her legs out of her jeans. He would have laughed at how silly she looked half dressed, but wasn't nothing funny about how wet she was after blowing him.

Daryl reached down to remove his knife from its sheath then stabbed it into the side of the tree where he could reach it if he needed to. His forearms caged her in, and he leaned down to take her lips.

"Ya liked doin' that?" he asked as he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and nodded. "Gonna have to tell me if I start hurtin' ya." He lined them up and thrust inside her hard. "Gonna fuck ya so good, girl," he whispered against her jaw, and her head fell back.

His bow was rattling around with each stroke, but he wasn't about to stop and take it off. It sorta made it seem wilder, especially when he saw the knife gleam out of the corner of his eye.

She moaned and clenched down around him as he picked up the pace a little more.

"Your back okay?" He panted against her shoulder.

"Yeah." Her fingers were digging into the skin of his neck, and he pulled back to look at her face, feeling her get close. "Harder. I can take more."

Her eyes closed, and he leaned against her, keeping her pinned to the tree so he could moved faster.

"Keep those eyes open, baby. You're makin' so much fuckin' noise." He tilted her hips a little and pulled her down on him with more force, causing her to moan louder. "Can't look for walkers when I'm fuckin' ya like this. Don't wanna get my ass bit."

Beth nodded and started tugging on his hair, pulling his face away from her shoulder, and kissed him, her tongue tracing his lips and tangling with his own. When she got going, she could be so fuckin' eager, and when she was close to coming, she had a one-track mind and got so damn sloppy with her kisses and her cries.

It drove him crazy.

"Got my dick so fuckin' hard with those sounds, Beth." It was the first time he said something like that against her lips instead of her cheek or jaw or shoulder. "Come on me, baby. Get me wet."

Beth threw her head back, completely ignoring the need to keep a lookout.

She was about to come. He could tell because she clenched down on him and started speaking in fucking gibberish.

"Play with yourself." He circled his hips and watched as she took a hand from his hair and slid it down his shirt-covered chest to where they were connected, her ring sparkling when she turned her hand just right.

It didn't take long before she was gasping and trembling around him. He joined her a few thrusts later as he pulled her down on him and stilled deep inside her. His forehead was on her shoulder and he hands flexed against her ass.

"Damn, girl." He kissed her neck and set her back on her feet.

He fixed his jeans as he watched her right her own clothes and put on her boot. Daryl leaned in for another kiss as he reached and pulled his blade from the tree and put it back on his hip.

"Mmmmm," she hummed against his lips and sighed. "That was amazin'."

As he backed away, she closed her eyes and leaned against the tree. Her hair was fucking mess and her lips were red and swollen.

"Ya look like a fuckin' wet dream," he mumbled.

She smiled and opened her eyes. "Charmer."

Daryl took her hand and continued on their way to his snares. Beth tugged his hand up and kissed his knuckles. "I love ya."

He nodded, keeping his eyes forward.

* * *

There were no rabbits or squirrels to eat.

Had they been there a day before, early in the morning, they might have had a rabbit, but the poor thing had been destroyed by a walker. For some reason, she thought it would be more humane if they had eaten it as opposed to how it had died.

"Well, that fuckin' sucks." He kicked the rope and looked away.

Beth shrugged. It did, but it was too late to be upset about it. "It'll be okay. We got plenty of canned stuff at the cabin."

"Ya need meat." He paused, staring at her. "We need the protein."

"I'll make some beans tonight then. They got protein, too. How do ya think vegans survive?"

"They shouldn't," he snarked and started to walk away. "Can't use that rope anymore. Ain't no animal with any sense gettin' close to something that smells like that."

"Can't we wash it?"

"Ain't worth the effort. I got more."

They walked in silence while Daryl sulked.

"You're awful surly for a man who just got laid."

Daryl turned toward her and cracked a smile. "Just wanted to have something good for dinner is all."

She nodded and kissed his cheek.

He wanted to have something special because of what today had meant for them, and it was probably aggravating him to no end that he couldn't find anything. On the way back to the cabin, Daryl never let go of her hand, playing with the ring on her finger and twisting it from side to side. She almost sighed out loud several times because when he thought she didn't notice, he'd look down at her hand and smile. It just about melted her heart.

"Think that tomorrow we'll go and look around the place where I lost their tracks. We need to try and find some more gas, too. All these trips are drainin' us, and we need some in case we gotta get away fast."

"That sounds good to me. How are the walkers out there?" She slid under their fence and waited for him on the other side.

"They move faster, and they're travelin' in herds more."

Beth took his hand again when he stood up beside her. "So if we see one, we better start movin' 'cause there are prolly more?"

"Yeah. We ain't gonna take no chances."

"We should probably look for cots or more sleepin' bags in case we do find 'em."

Daryl laughed and nudged her with his shoulder. "Ya ain't gonna let 'em have the bed?"

She felt her cheeks heat up, which made no sense considering what they'd just done, and said, "Maybe the first few nights but not forever."

Once they were inside, Daryl went to the bathroom to clean up and Beth started to pull things together for dinner. She heated up some ranch style beans and made some brown rice. Tomorrow, she'd look for some spices, too. They might not have a wide variety of things, but at least she could add some flavor.

Daryl came out a few minutes before the rice was done, so she told him to watch it while she ran inside to wash off. The water was cold, but after being out in the sun all day, it felt sorta nice.

When she came back out, she picked up some clean clothes and changed. The rice was off the stove, but Daryl wasn't inside. She figured he was checking the fence before they turned in for the night, so she went about making their bowls of food. She noticed his bow was gone, but he always took it when he went out, so she didn't think too much about it.

When he wasn't back after several more minutes, she started to get a little worried, so she looked outside and saw that he wasn't anywhere near the cabin. When the sun began to set, she stood on the porch wringing her hands and watching for movement in the tree line.

With the last rays of light filtering through the trees, she heard him say her name quietly from her right.

"I'm gonna kill ya, Daryl!" She rushed off the porch and slapped his shoulders. "Damn ya. Can't ya knock on the door and say, 'Beth, I'ma head out for a minute.'?"

She noticed his hands were covered in blood, but he was smiling. "Saw a deer out the kitchen window, didn't have time to tell ya. Grabbed my bow and took off after it. Tracked him across the road before I could get a good shot."

He reached under the fence and dragged the deer over beside them. He pulled it up near the porch, and she realized that he'd already cleaned it.

"Gotta cover my tracks. Not all the way back, but about halfway. Won't take too long. Get the leftover grease and flour we got and when I get back, I'll fry ya some deer meat." He kissed her quickly. "Ain't got no gravy, but it'll do, right?"

"Yeah, babe." She ran her hand over his jaw. Her chest filled with an overwhelming love for him and his sweetness. "It'll be great!"

He grinned and got to work, and she went to gather everything up.

Daryl was back soon after the sun set and started getting the meat ready. Beth barred the door and sat cross-legged on the bed, watching him heat the grease and coat the thin strips of meat in flour.

They had a lot of meat, and she was upset that it would probably go bad before they could eat it all, but what they could eat that night and the next day would be so beneficial to them.

"Hot damn." He jumped away from the stove, shaking his hand after grease popped up and hit him while dropping mean into the skillet.

She laughed, and he turned toward her and smirked. "Smells really fuckin' good. Ain't had deer in months..." His voice trailed off so she barely heard it. "You've been without longer."

"Makes no difference now. I got ya cookin' for me. This is probably a million times better than what ya had. Plus, ya got some much better company."

"That's the truth." He turned back to the food and flipped the meat over.

She was looking down at her ring, still amazed at all had happened between them that day. She wondered if she found a ring for him, would he wear it? Probably not. Aside from that necklace made of walker ears, she hadn't actually seen him wear any type of jewelry.

"If I found ya a ring, would ya wear it?" she asked, deciding to just throw caution to the wind this once.

Daryl snorted. "Not a chance."

Beth shrugged and tried not to let her feelings get hurt. She already knew what he would say. He just wasn't the type of man who would wear a ring, and it had nothing to do with him wanting to appear a certain way. He just probably couldn't stand the feel of it.

"Oh well," she said and walked to the table.

He glanced over at her and asked, "That all? Ya ain't gonna pitch a fit?"

"Daryl, I don't pitch fits."

He set the food on the table and took a seat. "Just popped off, ya know?"

"It's okay." She picked up a piece of deer meat and took a big bite. "Oh my God," she moaned, mouth full of food.

"Nice." He smirked and dug in.

After nearly the whole bowl of strips was gone, Daryl leaned back in his chair, brought his right hand up, and started sucking the leftover grease off the tips of his fingers.

She stared at his mouth and blushed. "That's absolutely sinful," she muttered.

He smirked and rubbed his hand on his jeans before starting to do the same thing to his left hand. Beth noticed his gauze was gone, and she almost missed the mark on his left ring finger as he yanked his hand down fast.

"What was that?" she asked, moving around the table to grab his hand.

He shrugged as he let her take it. "Just somethin' I figured ya'd like."

Beth traced over the lowercase _b_ near the base of his finger and grinned. "Much better than a ring."

"Yeah, we ain't gotta sit here and look at it. It ain't goin' nowhere."

Beth walked back to her seat and took another bite of food. "How'd ya do it?"

"Very carefully."

She rolled her eyes and pushed away her plate. "Let's go to bed. Since ya don't want to talk about it, let me show ya how much I like what ya did."

As she passed him, she let her hand drift over his shoulders. He hadn't moved, so she took off her shirt and tossed it over his head.

"Get to movin', Dixon."

He shot up and practically tackled her to the bed. She smiled into his kiss and knew she was in for a long night.

* * *

When he woke up the next morning, he knew he'd slept later than he had in months. The sun was glaring through the window and shining right in his eyes. Daryl rolled over on his stomach, reaching out his arm to pull Beth back to him, but she wasn't there.

"Rise and shine," she whispered against his neck, and he smiled into the pillow.

"No," he mumbled, grabbing her fast and pulling her down beside him.

Beth laughed and threw her arms around his neck.

"Wanna wash some clothes before we go. It's a pretty day, so come with me to the creek."

He groaned, rolled over, and sat up, grabbing his jeans off the floor. He pulled them on and started to look for his shirt. He knew that Beth was sitting, watching him, and he peeked over his shoulder at her and grinned.

"What?" She stood up and straightened her shirt.

"Ya stare."

"You do, too."

He shrugged and tossed on his vest before picking up her little laundry basket and heading out the door.

Beth washed the clothes fast, and then he helped her hang them on the line he'd rigged up between two T-posts in the yard. Everything about the day was so normal and domestic. He wondered to himself a lot over the course of that hour or so with her just when he'd become this guy.

He was still rough and sometimes crude, but he also got Beth to fall in love with him, so maybe he wasn't all terrible. The way she smiled at him told him he had some good inside him.

As he straightened his shirt over the wire, Beth came over and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into his chest. She looked up, and he dipped his head down to kiss her.

She hummed against his lips and took his hand, lacing their fingers together before turning, putting his hand on her right shoulder, and leading him back to the cabin. When she reached the door, she faced him and tangled her hands in his hair before bringing him down into a slow kiss.

He had her pressed to the door, pulling her hips toward him and grinding against her. She giggled softly as she turned the doorknob, causing them both to stumble inside. Once he regained his footing, he kicked the door shut, smirking as she started to undo his shirt.

"Can't get enough of me, can ya?" he teased as he unbuttoned her jeans.

"You're so smug." Beth kissed his chest as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders.

"Damn sure am." He dragged her jeans and panties down her legs then gripped her ass. "Jump up, woman."

He didn't have to say it twice.

* * *

"Did I just hallucinate?"

The group stood in the trees, gaping at the small cabin with the makeshift fence. Rick cleared his throat and looked away from the front door that had been slammed shut moments ago.

"Someone needs to answer me because I swear I just saw my baby sister lead Daryl Dixon into that cabin, and I know they weren't goin' in there to play checkers."

Carl kicked the leaves at his feet. "I guess we just wait until they're done?"

"Well, do you plan on goin' and knockin' on that door?" Michonne asked, giving Carl a sidelong look. She knew he had the sweetest crush on Beth Greene, and this probably broke his little heart.

"Uhhh, no," he answered and turned away.

"We wait," Rick said and leaned back against the tree. He scanned over each face and noticed that Carol was particularly quiet. "When they come back out, we'll holler at 'em."

"I have no words," Maggie whispered, eyes still fixed on the cabin. "None."


	17. Chapter 16

Ch. 16

* * *

"Good Lord, woman, ya tryin' to kill me." He ran a hand down her naked back.

"It's a good way to go." She smiled and closed her eyes.

"I'd say that would have been the case before dyin' meant turnin' into a walker." He sat up on the edge of the bed and threw the blanket off her, exposing her body to him. He smacked her ass and stood up. "We really gotta get goin'. Won't be able to make it to their trail today, but we can go to that army surplus store we passed in Leon."

"Ya make me feel guilty." She pouted and scooted across the bed. She was too tempting, moving toward him like that with her tits swaying a little.

Daryl swallowed thickly and picked up his jeans. He was getting hard again, and she wouldn't have to try too long before he'd see what a good idea it was to get back in bed. Instead, he cupped her jaw and kissed her softly. "Get up, baby."

In minutes, they were dressed and ready to go out to the truck. He was the first one out and down the steps, and she followed behind him, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail. "Can't do nothin' to my hair after ya mess with it like ya do," she mumbled into his back when he came to sudden stop in front of her.

"Holy shit," he whispered.

Beth immediately stepped around him to see what was happening, and when she did, she slapped her hand over her mouth and then ran for the fence. Daryl chased after her, sliding under the fence just seconds after her.

"Maggie!" she yelled.

"Quiet down, woman," he said as he reached her side.

She pulled her sister into a hug, and he looked over the rest of the group.

Rick, Carl, Michonne, Carol, Judith, Maggie.

Beth was hugging Maggie to the side and when they pulled apart, he saw why. She was pregnant. Very, very pregnant.

"Girl, ya gonna pop," he said, taking in just how big she was. They had some preparing to do.

"Daryl!" Beth whispered sharply. "Ya look beautiful, Maggie. I don't know how you're gonna get under the fence though."

"I'll manage," she said quietly, eyeing Daryl.

He turned from them and looked over at Rick. They did a handshake back-slap hug thing before he reached to shake Carl's hand. The boy took it after a few seconds but didn't meet his eyes.

"How'd y'all find us?"

"Carl saw ya last night with the deer. We were gonna follow ya then, but we had a safe place for the night and weren't sure how long it would take to find ya," Rick answered, glancing over at the women who'd circled around Beth.

"So?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "So?"

"We happened to catch a little of the show before y'all went inside."

He gripped his bow strap and stared straight into Rick's eyes. "So?"

Rick raised an eyebrow. "Did this start before or after the prison fell?"

"Don't really matter. We're together. That's that."

Rick shrugged and looked down at Carl. "Ya got room for us?"

"Always. Been lookin' for ya." Daryl patted Carl's shoulder. "Found your hat. Don't understand how y'all disappeared like that. It's like ya just vanished."

"We found a car and took off. Shit went downhill way too fast. We weren't even able to go back to see about Glenn until…"

"Yeah."

"So it was you," Maggie said, cutting through what Rick was about to say. "Figured it was someone we knew. No one else would've taken the time to do what you did for him."

Daryl shuffled around and shrugged, avoiding Beth's questioning glance.

"Why don't ya take 'em inside, Beth? Get 'em some of that deer meat. Maggie's gonna need it." He touched her hand as she passed him. "I'll tell ya what I hear later."

"How ya know what I was thinkin'?"

"You're nosy."

Beth laughed and flipped him off, sliding under the fence first and then helping Maggie under.

Carl started to walk to the fence after the women were halfway across the yard, but stopped and looked back at Daryl, saying, "Don't know why ya couldn't have messed around with someone your own age. Couple more years and she'd have seen me as more than just a friend."

Daryl smirked and chewed his thumbnail. "Ya got some balls, boy."

"Carl," Rick warned, giving him a steely glare.

"What? Carol pines away for him, and he gets Beth. It sucks." Carl moved toward the fence again, but Daryl grabbed his arm.

"Hey!" Rick's voice was raised, but not so that the women would hear on the porch.

"I ain't gonna hit 'im." Daryl cut his eyes at Rick and pulled Carl to him. "You can be her friend from here until ya die, but it doesn't go further."

Carl pulled his arm away and glared at him. "I ain't stupid. I saw how she was with ya."

"All right, then. Ya done?"

The boy just shrugged and for a moment, Daryl felt bad, but if he was gonna bow up like a man, he could get talked to like one.

"Yeah."

"Get ya some food and then we're goin' to check the snares and reset 'em."

He nodded, slipped under the fence, and walked toward the cabin. The door was open; Daryl could hear Beth's laugh and he smiled.

"It's serious?" Rick asked, his voice full of shock.

"Yeah."

Rick shook his head. "Maggie's gonna give ya hell."

"Expectin' it." He met Rick's eyes and saw the tight smile he was giving him. "Where ya been?"

He looked away. "Place called Terminus."

* * *

"How did y'all find each other?" Beth asked as she portioned out food to Carol, Michonne, Maggie, and Carl. She even cut up some small pieces and put a bowl in front of Judith.

"Me and Glenn were together after everythin' happened, and then we found Tyreese and Carol with Judith a couple of months later. We all holed up in a house out in pasture away from everythin'. Glenn and Tyreese would go out on runs, and one day, Tyreese didn't make it back." Maggie cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. "We found Rick, Carl, and Michonne after those big explosions. One night, a few days later, I guess, we got surprised by a herd." Beth wrapped her arms around her sister as she openly cried. "Glenn tried to draw them off. I can't really run all that well." She motioned to her stomach. "We went back for him when he didn't show up at the meeting spot, but he was gone," she finished in a whisper.

"I'm so sorry." Beth hugged her tighter.

Maggie hiccupped as she continued to cry. "I wasn't ready for him to go, and I never, ever thought he would."

Michonne and Carol both busied themselves with eating as Beth continued to hold a sobbing Maggie.

"Ya eat then go lay down in the bed. I can't imagine ya've been comfortable lately."

Maggie wiped her eyes and snorted. "I think I'll sleep on the floor. No tellin' what ya'll bein' doin' in that bed."

Beth flushed and her jaw dropped. "I'll have ya know that I washed those sheets two days ago in the creek."

"I'll have ya know that I caught ya steerin' him toward the house while we were walkin' up." Maggie laughed through her tears. "Oh, Bethy, your face!"

Beth cupped her cheeks, trying to cool them down.

"So, you and Daryl?" Michonne asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes," Beth said quietly.

"Is it serious?" Maggie asked. "He's not takin' advantage of ya, is he?"

Beth scoffed. "Daryl wouldn't do that. Besides, I sorta made the first move, if ya must know."

Maggie's eyes widened and she pushed Beth's shoulder. "Girl!"

Without much thought, Beth reached across the table to clear off the empty plates. Carol's hand shot out and grabbed her hand. "What's this?" Her voice was just a whisper.

Beth broke out in a big grin as she looked down at her ring. "Daryl gave it to me."

Maggie yanked her hand out of Carol's grasp and gasped. "You're kiddin' me! He asked ya to marry him?"

Beth shrugged and turned to the sink. "Somethin' like that."

"I'ma need more than that, baby sister."

She bit her lip and shook her head. "That's all you're gettin'."

Daryl and Rick walked in and Beth set to work getting them bowls of food, as well. Daryl didn't sit beside her or even touch her, but she didn't expect him to. He wasn't one to show affection publicly, but she imagined he'd get better as he got more comfortable being around the others.

"So, you and my little sister, Dixon?" Maggie quirked up an eyebrow. "My daddy'd have your balls."

Daryl flushed and looked down at his food. "Ain't doin' nothin' wrong."

"Uh-huh." Maggie smirked. "Ya gonna make an honest woman outta my Bethy?"

He put down his empty bowl and gripped the strap of his bow. "Done that," he said and nodded. Carol's eyes widened as she saw his left hand, and then she looked away. Maggie tilted her head to the side as she looked at his ring finger and raised an eyebrow. "Get you're shit, Carl, we're going out."

"Snares?" Beth asked, watching him fiddle with his knife at the door while he waited for Carl.

"Yeah."

She nodded and took his bowl to the sink.

"We'll be back soon," he muttered and Beth looked over at him. He gave her the briefest of smiles and then left.

After several seconds of awkward silence, Maggie cleared her throat. "So, where do we sleep? I'm beat."

"Ya take the bed, Maggie." She looked at Carol. "You and Judith could probably sleep on there with her."

"I done told ya, I ain't sleepin' where y'all just been," Maggie huffed and stood.

"Lord have mercy, Maggie. We weren't in the bed earlier." She yanked the covers back and moved the pillows, keeping her eyes off her sister so she wouldn't know she was lying. It wasn't that big of a deal. Neither one of them were dirty. There weren't any wet spots on the bed and they'd used a condom, so it wasn't like Daryl's stuff was all over the sheets.

Maggie stopped and laughed. "Well, where were ya so I know where to avoid."

"All you need to know is this bed is fine. Now lay your pregnant self down and sleep well for once."

Once she had Maggie situated, she turned and looked at the others, who were carefully avoiding her gaze. When she was nervous, she rambled, and for some reason, they were making her very, very nervous.

"We were supposed to go out and get some more sleepin' bags and maybe some cots earlier, but y'all showed up. I imagine tomorrow we'll go for things and more supplies. The garden is comin' in nicely, and I'll can what we harvest."

Beth went to the Tupperware boxes along the wall and opened the one labeled 'blankets and towels.' "Y'all can shower if ya want. It's cold and runs off a well that's under the cabin, so it's all-clean. We got three sleepin' bags and lots of blankets, so y'all just pick what ya want."

"Thanks, Beth," Rick said as he passed by her.

"You're welcome." She was twisting her ring, watching everyone get settled, and she felt so out of place in her own house. "I'm just gonna wait outside."

The sun was setting, and she sat on the railing, leaning her head back against the corner post. She was tempted to go inside and get Judith to play with since it had been so long since she'd held her, but Carol didn't seem too keen on the idea of letting her go any time soon.

She felt like something was off with the group, but maybe it was just because they'd been apart for so long or they just didn't know how to act with her and Daryl being together. She told herself that everything would straighten back out once they got into a routine again.

They all needed a good night's sleep, too.

When she went back inside, Carol and Judith were asleep on the bed beside Maggie. Rick was on a sleeping bag with another one beside him for Carl. Michonne was against the wall by the door in her own sleeping bag.

Beth went to the blankets and set up a pallet in front of the sink for her and Daryl. She even folded two blankets into pillows for them.

It wasn't long before Daryl and Carl walked in.

Carl nodded in her direction then went to lie down next to his dad. He'd grown a lot over the last several months. He was as tall as Rick, but still had some filling out to do. It was so strange to think of him as a man when she'd thought of him as a teenage boy the last time she saw him.

She smiled at the thought of him actually getting to grow up as Daryl finished barring the door and walked over to her. He set his bow on the counter and looked over their full cabin.

"See ya got everyone settled," he whispered.

"I had a time forcin' Maggie to take the bed. Apparently she's afraid of cooties."

Daryl laughed quietly and tugged on her hair. "Girl, ya give me somethin'?"

Beth pushed his stomach and shook her head. "Ya gonna lay down with me or ya gonna pretend to keep watch?"

His smile dimmed, and he looked away. "Ya think I'm just gonna stop bein' with ya 'cause they're here?"

"I'd hope not, but I also know you're gonna get a little flustered when they stare at ya when you're with me."

Daryl shrugged and took off his vest. "They'll get used to it. Ain't gonna change how things are just 'cause they think it's weird. You and me? We're a good thing."

"Yeah, we are." Beth sat on their blankets and pulled his belt loops so he sat beside her. "Now, cuddle me and tell me what Rick told ya."

He lay on his back, and she threw her leg over his and put her hand over his stomach. She missed touching his skin but figured he wouldn't undress like he used to with everyone around. Instead, she snuck her hand under the edge of his shirt and let her fingers settle on the skin below his bellybutton.

"They was at Terminus."

"No," she gasped.

"Yeah, said they didn't really think too much about it. Just wanted a safe place to be especially since everythin' had turned to shit. Locked 'em up in a railcar and kept 'em there for months, feedin' 'em through a hole in the side. Wasn't a damn thing they could do. Said their car was one in the very back corner, so there were a lot of others ahead of them. It's why they made it so long.

"Don't even wanna think about what they were feedin' 'em." Daryl cringed and so did Beth. "They don't even know what happened. There was a big explosion and it rocked their car. The next one knocked 'em over and broke enough of the door for them to crawl through. They made it past the fence and ran. Endin' up climbin' a tree because they ran into walkers.

"Stayed there at least a day before gettin' down and findin' shelter. They found Maggie, Glenn, and Carol a few days later. Rick thinks it was a gas explosion that destroyed Terminus, but he doesn't think it was just an accident. Thinks someone managed to set it up."

He shrugged and wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulders. "Just damn glad we decided to stay here."

"Yeah. I'm glad they got out. I'm happy they're here."

Daryl nodded. "We're gonna have to find another place when it gets cold. Can't really look all that well now, but we ain't gonna be able to stay here with so many people. I got to likin' us havin' our own space."

"Me, too. I'ma miss seein' ya naked," she whispered against his jaw and scratched her nails against his stomach.

"You're the devil, woman." He kissed her lips and sighed. "We gonna have to find a buncha shit for Maggie. I'm talkin' about hospital-type shit."

"Ya think it's safe?"

"This time of year? Hell naw. We ain't got much choice, though." He shook his head and played with her hair. "Tomorrow, we'll make a list and go on a run for more essentials. Ya stay here with your sister, and I'll see if Michonne or Rick'll come with me."

"I'd rather go with ya."

Neither spoke for a few seconds, and then Daryl turned his head toward her. "I ain't sayin' ya can't come. I just think Maggie'd like to have ya here. Y'all been apart for a while. Just visit with her. Play with Judith." He ran his fingers over her cheek. "When we get back, I'll take ya for a ride on the bike. Some place far away, deserted, and very safe." He kissed her softly then pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. He looked so serious and the glow of the fire made it all seem so romantic, like one of her old books. "Bring us a blanket and some rubbers."

Beth had to turn her face into his shoulder to muffle her laughter while his body shook with his own.

"You're such a charmer."

"Ya say that all the time. I'm startin' to think you're bein' sarcastic."

"Oh, no. Never."

He kissed her again to shut her up then said, "Get to sleep, woman. Got a busy day tomorrow."

* * *

When Daryl woke up the next morning, Carol sat at the table, looking over Beth's calendar. He untangled his legs from Beth's, covered her up, and then went to sit across from Carol.

It had been a long time since he'd seen her, and she looked different. More worn and hardened. He wondered what had passed since he'd last seen her, but figured she wouldn't want to talk about it just like he and Beth would never mention Joe's group to them.

"How ya been?" he asked, pulling the notebook away from Carol so she'd look at him.

"About as good as can be expected." She shrugged. "You seem to be doing better than the last time I saw you. Lost some of your reasons to not get involved, huh?" Her voice was laced with bitterness.

He shook his head. "Ain't like that."

Carol pulled the notebook back. "Don't worry about me, Daryl. I'm used to disappointment."

"I hate seein' ya sad," he said quietly, feeling like he was responsible for all her pain.

"It's not really your place, is it?" She looked down at Beth.

Daryl stood and walked over to the door, not looking back.

* * *

Daryl wasn't too sure he liked the way everyone was staring at him. It was like they weren't sure what to say or if he was even the same person they knew before. He leaned against the counter and chewed on his thumbnail, trying to figure out how to make them stop being how they were being.

"I'll go with ya, Daryl," Rick said as Beth told them about making a list for supplies.

He nodded, and Beth got her notebook and started writing down things that they would need and then asked the others what they wanted.

"You're probably gonna need to see about findin' a little extra food," she said, turning toward Daryl. "We got a lot, but it was just for us. We'll need more to feed everyone for a while."

"I'll get it," he spoke quickly, glancing over the group. It would take a lot more food to keep them full until winter, when they could go out and make a big haul.

This went on a few more minutes before he stood and went to the door. "I'ma check the fence."

Beth was in her own world, making lists and notes. She didn't even look up at him as she said, "Water the garden, will ya, babe?"

Daryl caught Carol's stare and knew his ears were turning pink. The look in her eyes made him pause for a moment, but then he shook his head. "Sure," he said and shut the door quietly behind him.

He walked the perimeter and prayed that Carol wouldn't do anything stupid now that they were back together. Last thing he needed was her and Beth getting into a catfight over something as stupid as him.

He had a feeling that he wasn't that lucky, though.

* * *

When she was sure that Daryl was away from the porch, Beth looked up at everyone.

"Y'all need to quit actin' like he's grown a second head. It makes him uncomfortable." It looked like Maggie was about to say something, so she pushed forward and cut her off. "Just act like y'all used to around him. Ain't nothin' changed. He's still Daryl."

"Looks like a lot has changed," Carol said, staring directly at Beth's hand.

Beth bristled at her tone and figured now was as good a time as any to establish her place in Daryl's life when it came to her, especially after hearing them talking earlier. "Some things have, you're right, but you're still his _friends_." No one missed the emphasis on that word, and everyone but Carol suddenly seemed to think the ground needed inspecting. "Be happy he's alive and that y'all are here."

Everyone quietly agreed, and she ignored Carol's stare and went back to her list. Who knew that having them all back together would make things so tense?


	18. Chapter 17

Ch. 17

* * *

Daryl was dog tired by the time he and Rick crossed the last thing off the list. There was no way he'd be able to go anywhere with Beth, either. It had taken a whole lot longer than they'd anticipated, and there had been a lot more walkers in Leon than before.

They managed to get a few cots and sleeping bags. They got some extra clothes for everyone and made a special trip to a baby store for Judith. Daryl even dragged a small mattress out of the display crib so she could sleep on it beside Rick instead of between Carol and Maggie.

He and Rick decided that they'd go to the hospital in a few days to collect some stuff that might help with Maggie's labor. They even stopped by a small bookstore downtown and found two books on natural childbirth that she might like to read.

Daryl flicked through one and grimaced. "Sounds like a form of torture."

"Seems like it," Rick answered as they walked out the doors. "Lori had a hard time with Carl. We didn't think she'd have any more."

Daryl just nodded and went to the passenger side of the car. Ain't no way he was touching the subject of Judith's birth. He wasn't one to point out the obvious, but surely even Rick knew chances of that baby being his were slim to none. Didn't really matter, though. He was the only daddy she'd ever know.

"I think after the weather cools off we're gonna have to go look for a new place," Rick said as he turned onto the road leading back to the cabin.

"Yeah, me and Beth talked about it last night," Daryl said as he looked out the window. "It'll take some scoutin', but we'll find somethin'. Maybe even head north where the winters are harder."

After a few minutes of silence, Rick said, "Never thought I'd see ya settle down with anyone. Didn't think ya liked people all that much."

"Beth ain't people," he responded quietly. "She's a good person. Lucky she puts up with me."

"God bless her for that." He seemed a little off, but Daryl didn't think too much about it. Everyone was a little off lately.

When they made it back to the cabin, Beth came out, carrying Judith on her hip.

"How'd y'all do?"

Daryl leaned across the fence and kissed her cheek. "Got all the shit ya asked for."

"That's what I like to hear." She tickled Judith's foot. "Even the spices with the funny sounding names?" She raised an eyebrow, and Rick laughed behind him.

"Yeah, even them. I expect just rewards for them seeing as how I almost got a bite taken out of my ass gettin' 'em."

Beth's eyes widened and she gave him a quick once over. "Y'all all right?"

"We're fine, Beth," Rick said as he tossed a bag over the fence. "He's done lost his touch is all."

Daryl flipped him off and grabbed another bag. "I can handle myself just fine. Where's everyone at?"

"Maggie's asleep. Carol and Michonne went to wash clothes in the creek, and Carl said he was going to check the snares." Daryl frowned, and Beth reached through the fence to take his hand. "Things are good. He'll be fine."

Not five minutes later, Carl walked up with a rabbit dangling from his belt and a smile stretched across his face.

Daryl admired the kid in a way. He'd grown up in this. While Daryl'd been raising hell with Merle at fourteen, Carl had been fortifying a prison and protecting his family.

He did wish Carl could have had more of a childhood, but he imagined Rick did, too. That was a good bit of the reason they'd moved from enforcing to farming during their last few months at the prison.

Not everything in this new world was about killing, he reminded himself.

When the supplies were out of the truck and on the porch, Daryl took Judith and gave her to Rick before pulling Beth around to the side of the cabin. He tried his best, but he couldn't totally ignore Rick's raised eyebrow and Carl's eye roll. That bothered him, but he tried to shrug it off. He needed to stop caring if they thought he was pussy whipped.

"Missed ya." He kissed her, dragging his lips across her jaw and down her neck.

"Missed ya, too." Beth gripped his arms and pulled him closer. "Ain't gonna get to go on the bike, huh?"

"Not today. Tomorrow mornin'."

"I'm holdin' ya to it." She brought his lips back to hers, and he pulled her hips against his.

"Gotta stop," she mumbled against his lips. "We ain't alone anymore."

"Fuck 'em. I heard lots of things goin' down at the prison."

Beth laughed and pushed him away. "Last thing Carl needs is to see ya fuckin' me against the side of the house."

Daryl grabbed her chin and turned her face to him. "Listen to that mouth." He kissed her hard. "I'm a bad influence on ya. And just so ya know, Carl'd give his left nut for a look at your tits."

Beth gasped and slapped his hand away. "Can't believe ya just said that. He's a kid!"

Daryl laughed and pulled her back to him. "More of a man than a kid. I tell ya what, at his age, titties were my life."

"I can see Merle givin' ya Playboys, and ya playin' with yourself under the covers."

Daryl blushed, and Beth laughed softly before kissing him. "Don't know why I think that's precious, but I do. I sorta want to jump ya now."

"Ya like me bashful."

"I like ya, period."

A throat cleared to their right, and he looked over before mumbling, "Hey."

Carol and Michonne moved under the fence and walked toward them. "Good haul?" Michonne asked when they stood a few feet away.

"Yeah."

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, and Daryl wondered how to break the tension.

Finally, Beth took his hand. "Carl brought back a rabbit, so dinner will be good."

He followed her lead and soon he was able to push away how weird it felt to have Carol stare at him with a look of betrayal in her eyes.

* * *

"I've been meaning to talk to you," Carol said as she went to stand beside him on the porch. Everyone else was getting ready for bed and he'd just finished checking the fence.

"'Bout what?" He chewed on his bottom lip and looked over the yard. He hated feeling like he had done something to her, and he could tell that Beth felt off around her. All through dinner, Beth glanced over at Carol as she stood beside him near the counter.

Any other time, he'd have thought it was silly, but he knew he was causing problems. He was so fucking torn between showing he was with Beth and not hurting his friend, who he knew cared about him in a more-than-friendly way.

"Are you sure that you're with Beth for the right reasons?"

"What the hell are ya talkin' about, woman?" He glanced over at her as she leaned against the railing.

"You haven't been around her much since we got here."

"Don't like to have people stare at me, so I don't do anythin' that would make 'em stare," he answered, scooting a little further away.

"I think maybe you just got caught up in messing around with a younger woman and let it go to your head. Now that we're all back together, you're rethinking things."

Daryl fiddled with his bow strap and shook his head. "Ain't like that," he muttered.

Carol shrugged. "Maybe I'm wrong, but you aren't the Daryl I remember. She's changing you."

He walked past her into the cabin and tried to ignore the seed of doubt taking root in his brain.

* * *

Everyone was still asleep the following morning when he gathered things for his outing with Beth.

Sure, they could have waited, but he needed to be alone with her. It was the second night in months that he hadn't had some part of her or heard her sing or made her blush because of some lewd comment.

He missed that.

With everyone else around, he'd closed up and gone back inside himself. He liked that he didn't have to filter his thoughts with Beth or worry what she might think when he said something that wasn't fit to say around company. She let him to just _be_, and not to sound like a total pussy, he liked the guy he'd become since he'd been with her, no matter what Carol had said the night before. He was happier than he'd ever been, and a day alone with Beth would give him the boost he needed to get Carol's words out of his head. It had messed with him more than anything else that had happened to them, and he was a little mad at her for making him doubt things.

When he was done getting everything together, Daryl gently shook her shoulder and whispered against her cheek, "I'm gonna take ya for a ride."

She hummed and smiled. "Sounds nice."

"Get up, woman. Wanna leave before anyone else wakes up."

Beth stood up and stretched, her shirt riding up and showing off her stomach. He let his hand wander across the skin and licked his bottom lip.

"Did ya leave 'em a note?"

Daryl laughed quietly and led her outside. "Sure did. Said, "Be back later. Gone to fuck."

"You should try sayin' something nicer sometime," she muttered, pulling up her hair. "Ya make it sound like we're just hookin' up."

He side-eyed her as she went under the fence. "What ya know about hookin' up?"

"All sorts of things."

"Whatever." She didn't say anything else so he walked to his bike, strapped the bag he'd packed on the back, and started pushing it through the woods. She was right beside him, humming quietly. It aggravated him to no end that she didn't keep on talking. He knew she wanted to, but she'd wait for him to break and ask. He shook his head and sighed. "What ya want me to call it?"

Beth smiled at him. "Ya can call it that, but sometimes it would be nice if ya said something nicer, more romantic."

"Like?"

"Like maybe call it 'makin' love' sometimes."

He scoffed and kicked a stick out of his way. "Only assholes say that."

Beth shrugged. "I call it that."

"Okay. Assholes and women."

"It's just the sentiment behind the words, I guess. 'Fuckin'' sounds so meaningless."

Daryl stopped walking, kicked the stand on the bike to let it rest, and moved toward her.

"What we got ain't meaningless, ya here me? Just 'cause I call it that don't mean a damn thing. Ya've said it before, too."

"I know I have, but I also know how I view it in my mind." She looked him like she was trying read his thoughts.

"So, what? Ya think I just like ya 'cause ya put out?"

The silence that followed that statement felt like a punch to his chest. Finally, Beth shook her head and whispered, "Let's just not talk about this anymore. Let's have a good day."

He started pushing the bike again, completely confused by what had just happened.

Then Carol's words from the night before passed through his thoughts.

_She's changing you._

* * *

Beth was straddling his lap and breathing heavily against his shoulder. She laughed softly and then kissed his jaw.

"How come you're dressed and I'm completely naked?

He ran his hands down her back. "You're prettier to look at than me."

Beth snorted and shook her head. "Whatever."

"What if walkers show up? One of us needs to be able to take care of the problem, and I sure don't like the idea of my dick swingin' around while I try and stab one of those bastards in the head. All I gotta do is push ya off, pull up my pants, and I'm good to go, baby."

She kissed up his neck, and he leaned his head back against the tree. "Ya like messin' around outside."

He nodded. "I like bein' outside. I like bein' with ya. Just makes sense to put those two things together."

"Daryl?"

"Huh?"

She kissed him softly then started to unbutton his shirt. When she'd exposed his chest, she laid her head against him, listening to his heartbeat beneath her ear. She turned her lips to his chest and whispered against the beat, "I love you so much. I don't know what'd I do without ya."

He was quiet for a long time then whispered against her hair, "You, too, girl."

She kept her emotions in check when he said the words and snuggled against him instead. In the back of her mind, though, she worried if he'd just said it because he knew she wanted him to or if he really wanted to say it.

A little while later, Daryl tapped her hip. "We need to get goin'. Gotta do some things when we get back to the cabin."

Beth nodded and stood up, grabbing her clothes and getting dressed as Daryl watched. His brow was furrowed and he seemed like he was deep in thought, but when she asked him, he just smiled and shook his head.

"Nothin'. Just lost up here, I guess." He motioned to his temple and stood up, packing what they'd brought.

For some reason, Beth didn't think this outing had solved anything for them.

* * *

Beth held on tightly as he navigated the bike down the highway.

She decided on the drive back that she wouldn't question him anymore about his feelings or lack of vocalizing them. Beth figured if she gave it a little more time, he'd come around.

The man gave her a ring and said he thought of her as his wife. That had to carry weight. She just needed to accept that maybe Daryl came from a place that either didn't say the words or even know that was what he was feeling.

When they hopped off the bike and started pushing it through the woods, Daryl flicked her ponytail and smiled at her.

"Had a real good time with ya today."

"I did, too. I like bein' with ya."

They walked in silence until they reached the truck and Daryl propped up the bike. She was about to lean down to get under the fence when he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"I, uh, I'm pretty crazy about ya, ya know?" Beth bit her lip and nodded. "Sorry I don't got better words," he muttered and looked away.

"You're words are fine," she whispered, palming his cheek, and kissed him softly.

He released her shoulder, and she scooted under the fence and waited for him to get on the other side with her.

"They ain't what ya want, though." He was biting his thumbnail and not meeting her eyes. "Ya wish I was different sometimes."

Beth reached out and grabbed his hand away from his mouth.

"No, Daryl." She shook her head and felt her eyes well up. "I love _you_. I don't want ya to change at all. I love how ya are and how ya talk to me. I just want your thoughts. Just a little look at how ya really feel when ya look at me. That we mean the same thing."

He narrowed his eyes. "Ya don't think I feel the same? Ya don't think I know what I feel?"

"I don't think ya know how to say it." Her honesty struck a cord because he pulled his hand away and started striding toward the cabin.

Beth wanted to stop him, wanted to calm him down, but maybe this was what he needed. Just some time to think.

She twisted her ring around her finger and let the tears spill over. She didn't know what she'd do if he realized what he meant wasn't what she meant.


	19. Chapter 18

Ch. 18

* * *

It'd been two days since they got back from their trip, and he hadn't had a full talk with Beth. He'd nod in her direction when he came inside or tell her he was going to hunt or check the snares, but he avoided all her attempts to corner him and talk about what had happened after their trip.

He didn't want to talk to anyone.

On the outside, he'd fixed his "fuck 'em" look permanently across his face. Inside, he was crumbling. He'd stare at the _b_ on his finger and get so damn angry at himself. All she fucking wanted was the words, and he choked on 'em every single time. It was enough for her to doubt him. Doubt everything.

She and Carol had been going at it, too, and he knew trouble was fucking brewing there. He wasn't sure what to do to stop it from happening. Beth wanted someone to take out her anger on, and Carol wanted to pounce on the situation and go after him. He was sick of all the shit.

Fucking drama.

End of the world, and you could still count on that petty bullshit.

He walked up the porch steps and caught Carl flipping him off as he hopped over the railing.

"Fuck you, too, boy," he muttered.

"You're so stupid, Daryl. Even I know all ya gotta do is apologize." Carl started to walk away, but he turned around and ran back to the railing. "And tell Carol to get off your dick."

"Where the fuck did ya learn to talk like that?" Daryl gaped at him.

Carl rolled his eyes and muttered, "I wonder," before walking around the cabin.

Inside the cabin, Rick was sitting on his cot, pretending to read a book from the shelf, and Michonne was sharpening her knife and watching the action in the kitchen.

"It would be better if you did it the way I showed you. Daryl said that he liked it this way," Carol said over Beth's shoulder.

He watched as Beth's fingers flexed around the knife, and he propped his bow against the door, careful not to make much noise. He had to put a stop to Carol's mouthing soon. He just really hated the idea of having to confront her about something like this. All that fucking yammering back and forth. He thought he'd already set that shit to rights.

"Well, I don't see Daryl here cuttin' this shit up, so I'll do it my way," she snapped and pulled the cutting board closer to her body.

"That's no way to keep a man happy."

"Carol, you should probably shut your damn mouth," Maggie said from the bed. "Ain't like ya got experience there."

"Got more than you think," she popped off, turning back to Beth.

"Ya know what? Screw this." Beth dropped the knife in the sink and turned around, eyes narrowing on Daryl. "Rick, ya want to go to the hospital? I think we should get Maggie's stuff. She's been having pains on and off since last night—"

"Beth! I told ya not to say anythin'!" Maggie cringed and put a hand over her stomach.

Beth quirked an eyebrow and continued. "I'd like to find her some good pain medicine for after. I read in one of those books that we'll need a few things for when the baby is born, too."

Rick looked between her and Daryl.

"Don't look at him. He ain't my daddy."

"Should spank your ass for how you're actin'," he muttered and started biting his thumbnail. "Both of y'all. Damn. Sittin' here, puttin' on a show, actin' crazy."

"You're testin' my patience, Daryl."

He hated the look in her eyes, and he hated himself even more for putting it there. She doubted him because he was pretending nothing was going on with Carol. Instead of begging forgiveness and getting down his damn knees, he smarted off again. "Ain't I always?"

She closed her eyes for a moment then looked back at Rick. "The hospital?"

"Yeah, sure. Just make a list and we'll go. It's not far, and I think you're right about the baby comin' soon." He looked at the others. "Carol and Michonne can stay here and keep an eye out for her. Daryl can—"

"Daryl's coming, too," he said, not leaving Rick any time to give him some random job to keep him away from Beth.

"Fine." Beth walked over to Maggie, who'd stayed particularly quiet the whole ordeal, and took the book from her lap. "I'll get started on the list. Be ready in a few minutes."

Daryl nodded and saw that everyone seemed to be avoiding him, so he figured he'd just wait outside and make it easier on them.

He wondered exactly where he went wrong with all this shit and figured it was when he gave her the ring. Not because he gave it to her but because he didn't have the balls to come right out and say what he was feeling. Hell, then he didn't even know what it was. He knew he cared about her, that he'd put her life before his own. He felt that for people at the prison though. What set her apart was everything else.

He wanted to be near her, talk to her, hear her laugh, make her smile, provide everything for her. He imagined having a family with her, and he couldn't express it in words at all. He thought he might write it down for her—tell her when it got real dark and she couldn't see his face as he scrunched up his forehead and searched for the right things to say—but he'd put it off. Then the others showed up, and now he was fucked.

He could make excuses all day, but it all boiled down to the fact that he'd failed in some way. Instead of words, he showed her with physical affection. He'd touched her and kissed her. He'd made her come as many times as he could before he got his.

Fucking emotionally stupid.

Of course, she would want something more than that. He'd given her what he'd given to every other woman before her. The only difference was he gave a damn if she came when it was over.

Except that fucking ring, and now she wasn't even sure he knew what he meant when he gave her that.

He pushed on his temples with his hands, feeling a fucking headache coming on. Then he thought about Carol and he groaned. She was his friend. In this fucked up world, she had been his friend the longest. He didn't want to hurt her, but the more she kept acting so fucking uppity around Beth, the less he cared.

Still, she'd taken shit her whole life, just like him, and he hated piling more on. He was being pulled in all different directions, and he was going to break soon.

"You all right?"

"Speak of the fuckin' devil," he mumbled and looked over his shoulder. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Just wanted to see how you were. Things don't seem to be going well with you and Beth."

She didn't look the least bit concerned, and he snorted. "Ya fuckin' think?"

"I think you got attached to her because she was what you thought you had left, and now you're in over your head, and you don't know how to get out."

Daryl rubbed a hand over his chest, trying to ease the ache there, and shook his head. It might have started that way—just a little—but he knew where he was at now. "Naw."

"Yeah. Daryl, you gave that girl a ring. You tattooed her initial on your finger."

"So what? I knew what I was doin'."

She moved to stand in front of him, and he crossed his arms over his chest.

Carol shook her head and scoffed. "You didn't. You don't even get what that girl is thinking about. She thinks y'all are married, that you're gonna give her kids and build her a house with a white picket fence. She's got her head in the clouds, Daryl. That isn't how things work now. I'm not even saying you'd be better with me. I'm saying you've led this girl on by giving her a promise you can't keep."

"What the fuck are ya talkin' about? I know what I said to her. I was there, and I was there the first time we worked shit out. You're just runnin' your damn mouth, thinkin' ya know me, but ya don't really. Hell, I don't even know me."

"Then how can you make a decision like this?"

He shook his head and uncrossed his arms, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I know how I feel."

"How do you feel?" She asked, coming entirely too close.

Daryl swallowed hard and met her eyes, but before he could even say anything, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought her lips to his.

It felt so fucking wrong, and when he heard Beth's voice drift across the yard, he knew he'd fucked up again.

* * *

She knew what she was seeing, but she couldn't quite believe it. She counted to five and watched as he didn't push her away even though he'd put his hands on her hips as though he was going to.

"Daryl?" Her voice was oddly calm, even to her own ears.

Beth watched as he jerked back, wiping his mouth off, a look of utter shock on his face. He didn't even speak, his shoulders were heaving with his labored breaths, and he took a step forward to only step right back.

"It's not what ya think," he whispered raggedly.

"Ya said that to me before about the same exact thing. Maybe it's not what _you_ think."

"No, Beth, this—shit, girl, she came at me. I didn't react the right way. I'm sorry. I don't care about her like that."

"Ya care about her, though."

The pause seemed to last forever as he didn't deny what she'd said. He finally cleared his throat and said quietly, "She's a friend."

At that moment, all the anger and emotions that had been building rushing forward. "'A friend'?" She charged at him, stopping right in front of him and pointing a finger in his face. "Ya don't do that to a friend, Daryl. Ya don't let a friend treat your girlfriend or wife or, hell, even a decent booty call like she's been treatin' me! What is she to you, Daryl? And if ya say _friend__,_ so help me_,_ God!"

He paused, staring helplessly at her. "Beth, she's just a friend."

"Damn you, Daryl!" She turned and walked away.

"Hey, everythin' okay?" Rick rounded the corner with Carl at his side. Michonne held back, eyeing everyone closely.

"Friends, huh?" She looked right at Daryl and then took the two steps to Rick, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him down to her lips. She had barely touched him before he pushed her back, staring at her with wide eyes.

"I'm Rick's friend, Daryl. I didn't even get close before he put distance between us." She met Daryl's eyes and almost stopped at the fury she saw there. "Can you say the same?"

He clenched his jaw so tightly she saw the muscles tick. He straightened up and looked away. "I'm sorry."

Beth walked toward him, and when she was close enough, she leaned to the side to catch his gaze. "How do you feel about me?"

She'd pushed him into a corner, and he was about to lash out, but she didn't even care. This needed to be settled. It needed to be fixed. They couldn't continue on without settling it.

"Ya know how I feel about ya."

She sighed and took a step back. "I think maybe it would be good if ya stayed here while we went to the hospital. Go huntin' or somethin' to clear your head."

"What?" He turned back toward her.

Beth tugged off her ring and slipped it on his pinky. Tears clouded her vision as he wrapped his hand into a fist, pushing the diamond into his palm.

"Beth?" His voice was soft and hurt. "Baby, I didn't—"

"Until we're for sure on the same page, just keep it." She slid her eyes over to Carol and tears fell down her cheek. "Ya need to think about things because I can't do this. I can't be second or feel like there's always the chance of her comin' into our relationship. I know ya care for me, Daryl, I can feel that, but there's something there that needs to be put to rest before we can be okay."

She turned to walk away, but Daryl grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him again. "Don't fuckin' do this. Yell at me all ya want, fuckin' hit me, but don't walk away from me."

"If ya think I'd ever hit you out of anger, ya don't know me at all," she whispered, and he pulled back as if she'd slapped him across the face.

"I'll beg." Tears were welling up in his eyes.

"I don't want ya to beg, Daryl. I want this to be as easy as breathin', and it can be. It was."

He gripped his bow strap and looked down and then out over the fence.

Beth covered her mouth with her hand as he started yelling. Her chest felt like it was collapsing from his pain. "Fine then. Get ya ass outta here. Go on!" He held up his hand to her and tapped his tattoo with his index finger. "Got ya under my fuckin' skin, but ya still don't see it, so just get the fuck out. Don't matter none, does it? Fuckin' spoiled princess didn't get it all her way."

Rick touched her arm, and she turned and walked away from him, toward the truck.

"And you, don't ya fuckin' touch me, ya hear?"

"Daryl," Carol's voice was calm and sure.

"No, fuck that shit. Get the fuck on, too."

His voice dimmed as she slammed the truck door and then cradled her head in her hands. When Rick reached the road, he stopped, and she cried until she was hoarse.

Maybe she'd been to rough or quick to jump to conclusions. Then she'd remembered days before when she'd been wrapped around him, whispering against his skin and telling him how much she loved him, and he'd kissed her and said, "You, too, girl." It was like he was saying it just to keep her satisfied, and she didn't like that. Maybe she _was_ being a brat.

"It shouldn't have been this way," she whispered against her hands. "Maybe I needed him to show too much? Maybe it's my fault for expectin' too much?"

Rick shook his head, staring out the front glass. "Ya need what ya need."

Beth nodded and wiped her eyes. "Let's go. Maggie's really startin' to hurt when the contractions hit. I wanna be back as soon as we can, so I can be with her through it all."

"Ya got it."

They drove in silence for a few miles before Beth turned toward him and said, "I'm sorry about bringin' ya into this mess with Daryl. Shouldn't have grabbed ya like that."

Rick smirked. "Ya definitely got his attention."

"Still, I don't want to cause problems between y'all."

Rick didn't say anything, and they fell into silence for the rest of their trip.

* * *

While she sat in the truck, Rick checked all the outside doors to the hospital to make sure the exits were available, and then they went inside. It was eerie as they quietly snuck up the side staircase to the maternity ward.

"We get in and get out," he whispered. "Ya got your list and your bag. I'll keep an eye out."

Beth nodded and walked through the open doorway onto the second floor Labor and Delivery area. It was easy to find the supply cabinet, and Rick kept watch as she stuffed aspirators, gauze, and huge sanitary pads that looked more like diapers into her bag. She found a small package of actual diapers and took those, too. The more they could get, the better.

The medicine was secured behind a door, but that lock had long since been broken, so she carefully went inside to grab the painkillers she needed. All the good stuff was long gone, but she hope that what she took would help take some of the edge off.

Her bag was nearly full when she walked back toward the door in the hallway. She spotted the receiving blankets and baby hats and grabbed multiples of those when she heard Rick's voice.

"Gotta go."

She peeked around the door and saw three walkers stumbling toward them. She sighed audibly, feeling defeated. Nothing was ever easy.

She and Rick immediately ran for the door that led to the staircase but pulled up short when several more walkers ambled in front of the opening, cutting off access to it. Rick took his knife and stabbed one in head while Beth did the same with the one closest to her. The way cleared a bit, but more walkers seemed to be showing up from all over the second floor.

"Where they all comin' from?" She pushed one away and stood back to back with Rick. She turned her head toward the doorway and saw an opening; it was small, but she slammed her pack into Rick's stomach and pushed him through to the stairs. The walkers would follow, but they'd fall down and end up piling up before catching Rick.

"Beth!" he yelled as she ducked under an oncoming walker.

"Run! I'll be okay."

Remembering everything Daryl had taught her, she nailed two walkers in quick succession before using one of their bodies to make a barrier between herself and the wall. She shuffled a few feet to an opening then ran full out toward the double doors at the end of the hall, praying to God that there wasn't anything on the other side.

* * *

A/N: Bethyl fic- Warming Up by Protected by a Silver Spoon. It's brilliant and complete!


	20. Chapter 19

Ch. 19

* * *

"And you! Don't ya fuckin' touch me, ya hear?"

Everything was fallin' apart right in front of his eyes. Beth had turned her back on him and was going away. He tried to tell himself that she'd be back, that she wasn't going away forever, but his chest hurt so fuckin' bad.

"Daryl." Carol's voice was too damn close, and he took several steps back before turning toward her. He looked at her and saw that she wasn't sorry at all for what had happened. It burnt him up that she'd do that to him when he hated the thought of hurting her.

"No, fuck that shit. Get the fuck on, too."

"We need to talk." Her words were strong, and she took a step forward.

Daryl shook his head. "No, we don't. I don't want ya." He stepped forward until he was in her face. He wouldn't dare hit her, but he had no problem with this. "Ain't never wanted ya like that. Made some mistakes, fucked up and slipped, but what I feel for ya ain't that. I hate the idea of making ya cry 'cause I know what shit ya went through before, but damn, woman! Ya just fucked up my world!"

"I didn't want to hurt you!" She pushed his shoulders to make him move back out of her face.

"Well, ya did! Mothafucker!" He turned and kicked the nearest tree. "Ya stay the hell away from me like that, and ya stop actin' like a bitch to Beth. You're a good person, Carol. You're damn strong, and I admire ya for that, but I swear to ya, straighten your fuckin' head before she gets back because ya and me ain't ever happenin'."

He didn't stay to see her tears. Maybe this time things would finally be settled.

* * *

Daryl stayed out all through the afternoon.

He was pissed at himself and at Beth.

He hated that their shit had come out in front of everyone, but there wasn't a thing he could do about it now. Everyone would feel like they had the right to know how things were going to be fixed between them and if things would be too tense to pass the coming months together in the small cabin.

He could practically hear Rick say they needed to go scouting early for a place to move to.

They were adults, damn it. They could handle this. They survived in a world of walkers and shitty people. This wouldn't be an impossible situation to move past. He just needed to get Beth aside and make things right. He told her he'd beg her—he very nearly handed himself over to her, but she'd turned him down.

If it meant he'd get her back, Daryl would give her the words she wanted. He knew he felt something big for her, something very different from anything he'd ever felt before. Then he'd stick to her like fuckin' glue if she thought he was going to try and mess around with Carol again. She wouldn't have a single reason to doubt him by the time he was done with it all.

He leaned against a tree and smoked his last cigarette, waitin' for the sun to go down a little more. Beth and Rick should have been back by now, and they'd need him and Carl to walk around the perimeter if Maggie was in serious labor. She'd probably scream and draw some walkers to them.

He needed to kill something—beat the fuck outta something was more like it.

Daryl took a drag and felt his lungs burn. He'd promised her the other day that he'd stop smoking after his pack ran out, and he laughed humorlessly as he tossed the smoke to the ground and stomped on it.

All these fuckin' changes, and what did she change for him?

Immediately, he felt like shit for asking that, even in his head. She'd given him everything. She'd put her faith in him and gave him her body without hesitating. She'd killed to protect him, she'd fed him and cared for him when he'd been beaten.

She'd said she was his, and all she wanted in return was his devotion and loyalty.

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat and failed.

He had a lot to make up for.

* * *

When he reached the cabin, the truck was back in its spot and the door to the cabin was open.

He clenched his fist around the ring she'd given back to him and decided he was going to pull her out of that cabin and fix things right then. They didn't have time to pussyfoot around anymore.

As he got closer, he could hear crying and figured that Maggie must be hurting a lot. He hoped things would go by fast for her and it would be as easy as it could be. The last thing they needed to was to experience such a fucking devastating loss like her and the baby. For a moment, he second-guessed his plans and thought it might be best to put it off until Maggie and the kid were safe.

He put his bow beside the door and peeked inside the room. His blood ran cold when he saw Maggie on the edge of the bed with Michonne's arms wrapped around her. Maggie was crying, but it wasn't because she was pushing out a baby.

He looked over and saw Carol's face was paler than he'd ever seen it, and Carl sat against the wall with his knees drawn up to his chest.

The board creaked under his boot and Rick, who was holding Judith close, turned toward him. His eyes were wide and lost. In a second, everything fell together.

"No." He shook his head and stumbled back against the wall. "No."

"Daryl," Rick said calmly, holding the baby out to Carol.

"Don't fuckin' say another word." His hand went to his hair and he tugged on it hard. "Ya were supposed to watch her!"

"I did. She pushed me away and ran. There were too many of them." Daryl choked on a sob and slid down the wall. "She got through the double doors on the second floor, and I ran down the stairs. I waited outside, but the walkers from the first floor managed to get out and surrounded the truck. I tried to go back for her, but I couldn't find her. I had to get this back here. I couldn't wait."

Daryl's rubbed the back of his neck and looked down on the wooden planks under his feet. This was his fault. If he'd been there with her, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't be gone and they'd be all right. She'd be helping her sister right now.

His eyes burned with tears, and he let them fall over and run down his cheeks. He thought about all the times he'd spent with her over the last few months, and suddenly saw each one in a completely new light.

Beth hadn't just made him better, she'd made _everything _better. He'd grown and learned to care for someone. Hell, he wasn't even sure he really cared about himself before this; he was just too stubborn to die.

He looked up, and instead of seeing the other members of his group in the cabin, he saw Beth stirring dinner and singing for him, them rolling around the bed after he found her book, her sweet smirk when she made him blush.

If she was really gone, everything was over for him.

Then he remembered her sitting across the table one night so long ago, and the same blank look in her eyes from earlier had been there, too. The memory of her words made his stomach roll, and he stumbled to his feet. He'd barely leaned over the porch railing before he vomited all over the ground.

Rick tried to comfort him, but the only thing he could hear was her voice playing over and over in his head.

"_You're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone, Daryl Dixon." _

* * *

It took him a several minutes to calm himself down enough to walk back in the cabin. He'd shoved Rick away when he patted his shoulder, and the man had held his hands up in surrender and gone back inside. He could hear him trying to quiet Maggie's sobs now, but there wasn't no use in that. She wouldn't be okay if Beth was gone.

He walked through the door and went to the sink, using a bottle of water to rinse the acidic taste out of his mouth. Everyone was looking at him, but he ignored them all. He'd had his breakdown, well, most of it, but he still felt like he was about to explode.

Daryl went to the end of the counter and pulled out the last drawer. For a second, he stared down at the pistol, remembering Beth's pleased expression when she showed it to him. Then he took it out, loaded it with some extra ammo he'd found at the army surplus store, and tucked into in the back of his jeans. Everything had a place in their life, it turned out. Even the small things he thought would never matter to them, like that worn-down pistol she found in a store at the beginning of winter and the ammo he found in the spring. It was all tied together. Beth knew it and had always said so, but he'd always just shook his head.

"What are ya doin'?" Rick asked, trying to block his exit.

"Goin' to get Beth" He sidestepped Rick.

"It's almost dark, Daryl. Ya ain't gonna be able to do anythin' right now. We need to wait until the morning, then me, you, and Carl will go and find her."

Daryl shook his head. "Naw, I got it. Y'all stay here and take care of Maggie. I'll take my bike so y'all will have the truck."

"The chances of findin' her right now are slim." Rick tried to reason with him. "Ya gotta know that. You're just riskin' your life by goin' out now. She's probably holed up in the hospital, waitin' for us to find her."

"Ya can't keep me here." Daryl met his eyes and let him see the desperation that simmered inside him.

Rick sighed and stepped out of the way. "Be safe."

"You're not seriously gonna let him go, are you?" Carol gasped, walking across the room. "Chances of finding her now are terrible! Even for him!"

Daryl ignored her as Rick said, "If ya ain't back by morning, me and Carl are comin' for ya."

"I'm comin' back with Beth, or I ain't comin' back at all."

He was extremely secure in that decision, and it made him feel a little better about heading out there to find her in the dark. This would either end with him salvaging things with Beth or he'd slip off into the woods and lose himself altogether.

"Stop being so dramatic!" Carol scoffed.

"Carol, once I have this baby, I'ma beat your ass, I swear," Maggie groaned, holding her stomach.

"Ain't got no reason to come back if she's not here."

"You have all of us! We need you here!" Carol pleaded as everyone else looked on.

He didn't yell or even feel the urge to raise his voice. He just shrugged. "You'll be fine. Ya got enough food to last for a while, and ya got some fuckin' warriors to protect ya." He glanced over at Michonne and Rick. "Can't go on without her."

He hated himself for being able to look Carol in the eyes and tell _her_ what he should have told Beth, but he just turned and walked out the door, leaving them in silence.

* * *

She ran until she was sure she was going to be sick.

She'd managed to get down the second flight of emergency stairs as walkers stumbled down behind her only to meet new a group of about twenty on the first floor. She skirted them, but they still managed to catch her movement because they chased her through the entryway and out into the parking lot.

Beth looked for the truck but soon saw that it was being attacked by a larger group than the one chasing her. She hoped Rick drove away and sent back help for her. The last thing she wanted was for him to try and save her only to get taken down by walkers.

In that split-second pause, the group behind her pushed through the slightly opened doors and hobbled toward her at a fierce pace.

Without a second thought, she ran toward the little outcropping of trees. She doubled back after several minutes and saw that most of the group had scattered, but there were still a few that kept on trailing her.

Soon the small-town setting turned to forest, and a much denser area of trees protected her.

Beth turned to see if anything was still behind her, tripped, and slipped all the way down a hill on her back, sticks and dried leaves scratching her as she slid. When she finally stopped, she looked around and then let her head fall back on the ground. Nothing was behind her, so she rested and remembered how she and Daryl had fallen down in exhaustion after running from the prison.

For a moment, she wondered if he'd even be at the cabin when Rick got back or if it would take him a while to come find her. Beth really hoped he hadn't taken her advice to go hunting too seriously, or he could be gone for a couple of days.

She wasn't entirely sure where she was, but if he hadn't found her obvious trail by tomorrow afternoon, she'd try to retrace her steps.

Groaning, she stood up and dusted herself off. The sun was getting lower, and she needed to find shelter soon. Out in the dark, in an area she knew walkers were close was not a good place to be, especially when she only had her knife to protect her.

Her back ached something terrible, but she pushed on. The light was almost gone when she happened upon a small hunting cabin. After a second look, she realized it wasn't just small, it was tiny. It looked more like a tool shed than someplace to sleep, but after checking the surroundings and the inside, she realized it was, in fact, a place to sleep.

An army cot took up one wall, and there was a little table beside it with a kerosene lamp and a box of matches. Against the opposite wall was a table and chair.

That was it. There was no porch, and the floor was the forest. She checked for snakes since it was about time for them to start coming out again, and then she barricaded the door with the chair.

There were no windows, for which she was thankful. It meant she could burn the lamp low to see and the walkers wouldn't bother her.

Neither she nor Daryl could ever really determine what drew walkers to the light but figured it must have been the way it danced around. It wasn't like they knew that people would be near light, or at least that's what she told herself.

Beth curled up on the cot, thankful she got lost in warm weather instead of winter, and tried to drift off to sleep, but Daryl consumed her thoughts.

It was still a huge deal, but at that moment, she didn't care too much about what happened earlier. It felt like a lifetime ago. She knew he hadn't wanted to kiss Carol and he probably felt guilty as hell it had happened. It was just a mess, but it didn't excuse the fact that he'd ignored what was going on with her and Carol or that he'd closed in on himself since their ride.

She felt ashamed, too. There was no reason for what she'd done when Rick walked over, and she felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment again. She had acted like a pissed-off teenager instead of the levelheaded woman she knew she was.

As she started to drift off from sheer exhaustion, she decided that she'd apologize to him the minute she saw him. But she wasn't going to stop pushing him to open up.

* * *

Daryl followed her trail from the hospital with ease. It was like she tried to make a mess for him to follow, and if he hadn't known better, he'd have said a crazed animal tore off through the woods, trying to break as many branches as possible.

He had to get out his flashlight once the sun went down and knew he'd be asking for walkers to come his way, but didn't care too much. He saw where their tracks had trailed off early into the woods and didn't figure more than five had kept up the chase.

When he came to the hill where Beth's tracks ended, he felt a wave of panic before a beam of light hit the slide mark she'd made.

He winced and carefully walked down beside her path.

Several minutes passed, and he heard the two walkers approach before he saw them. He put his flashlight in his mouth, slung his bow over his shoulder, aimed at the closest one, and sent an arrow through its forehead. He didn't have time to reload before the next one came into view, so he set down his bow and grabbed his knife. He dodged its grasp and circled behind it, stabbing it through the skull easily. He wiped his knife on his jeans, picked up his bow, and continued to follow Beth's trail.

Daryl sighed when he saw the shack come into view a little while later. It was a shithole but would serve as protection for the night.

He jiggled the doorknob softly and it turned, but she'd put something under it to keep the door closed.

"Good girl," he whispered. He leaned his back against the door and slid down.

After turning off the flashlight, he sat in the darkness, listening diligently for any signs of threats and trying desperately to hear her quiet breathing as she slept.

* * *

Beth jerked awake the following morning. The door was still jammed shut, so she lay back down on the cot, thinking of what her next move should be.

It took her about twenty seconds to notice the smell coming from outside. When she did, she shot off the cot and flung open the door.

Daryl's head turned quickly from the fire to where she stood. He looked tired and worn out, but he smiled anyway. She looked at his hands and saw the rabbit he killed on sticks over the fire. Her stomach growled, and she placed her hands over it.

"So happy I found ya," he said as he held a stick out to her. "I's really worried."

Beth nodded and walked over, taking the food from him and digging in. "I was worried at first, too, but I knew you'd come."

"I'll always come for ya."

Beth kissed his cheek and hugged him, careful to keep the hot food away from him. "I'm sorry about yesterday," she whispered against his chest.

"Ya ain't got nothin' to apologize for." He leaned away and sat back down.

"Yeah, I do." She sat cross-legged beside him. "I'm sorry for what I did to Rick. I shouldn't have acted that way." Daryl narrowed his eyes at the fire but didn't say anything. "It was stupid. I'm sorry, too, for walkin' away from ya. I knew that would hurt ya, and I did it anyway 'cause I was angry and wanted ya to hurt like I did. That's not how I am, and I shouldn't have done it."

Daryl nodded and started chewing on his bottom lip. She began to eat, waiting for him to gather his thoughts. He probably didn't expect her first words to be an apology, but she didn't want it to fester between them. It only made it worse in the end.

Soon the rabbit was all gone, and Daryl was still quiet. When she was sure that he wasn't going to speak, he surprised her and said, "I'm sorry, too. For all the things I didn't do, though."

She tilted her head to the side and stared at him.

"I mean, I'm sorry for everything that happened. For yellin' at ya and lettin' things get like they were. I shoulda stepped in sooner, but I don't like to deal with all that sorta shit, so I just held back."

"Daryl–"

"Just let me get it all out," he said while looking at the fire. He chewed on his thumbnail for a moment before continuing, "Like I said, I'm sorry for the shit I didn't do. That I didn't push her away as soon as she grabbed me." He cleared his throat and spoke quietly, looking at her from under his eyelashes. "I'm sorry for not tellin' ya with words how I felt. I thought it was enough to show ya, but it's not. And there ain't nothin' wrong with that. I knew what ya needed, and I didn't give it to ya. I handed ya that ring and thought ya'd understand, but I didn't even tell ya that you're my whole world. I thought ya'd just know that if I didn't have ya, then nothin' would be worth stickin' around for." Beth felt her eyes water, but didn't look away.

"Rick's got Carl and Judith. Maggie's got this baby. That's their connection to the people they lost, and it's why they carry on. Carol, she sees these children that are parentless and has all this love for them. She wants to keep them from ending up like her own, so she sticks it out. Michonne? Hell, she's got more secrets than me, but I imagine she's still fightin' 'cause she wants to know everythin' wasn't in vain.

"You? If ya lost me, ya'd survive." She tried to protest, but he continued. "You would. Ya got Maggie and the baby. Ya got Judith. Ya'd hurt, but you're strong. Ya'd live for them.

"Me? I ain't got shit without ya. The group? They're like family, and I might've drifted back to them if somethin' had happened to ya, if only to take care of the people ya loved, but Beth, I wouldn't have been strong enough to heal. You're–good Lord–you're the fuckin' sun. Everythin' about ya makes this place better. I'm sorry I hurt ya. I swear to ya, it won't happen again, not like that. Ya won't ever doubt me again."

She stared at her boots and wiped her cheeks. For someone that didn't like to talk, he sure did it well when he wanted to.

"I, uh, I wanted to tell ya that I think we should slow things down a little, too."

"What?" She scrunched up her nose.

Daryl popped his fingers and shifted around.

"I've been showin' ya how I felt instead of tellin' ya. I need to work on that. Ya deserve that of me, so I'ma talk more instead of just fuc–makin' love with ya."

Her heart hurt and she reached over and grabbed his hand. "Please don't change how ya talk for me. I don't mind it. I was bein' bratty that day. I love you, and that includes how ya are. If ya think it would be good to slow down, I'm okay with that. I think we're a lot more than sex anyway."

"We are. Ya've given me everythin' and even if I don't really like to, it's time to return the honor. I just hope ya don't run screamin' from me."

"That's not possible."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "I sure hope it's not."


	21. Chapter 20

Ch. 20

* * *

"How's Maggie?" Beth asked as they walked through the woods.

"She was upset," he said quietly. "I don't know nothin' about havin' babies. I guess she was okay. I imagine that Carol'll be able to take care of her. Your daddy taught her a lot when Lori was pregnant."

Beth hummed in agreement but didn't respond. He had a feeling things would be awkward when they got back, but he hoped it would clear up fast. Despite how she was acting, Carol was a good person. She was just shocked is all, he imagined, and probably a little jealous. He'd never say that out loud, though, but he figured having someone turn ya down a few times and then shack up with a much younger woman would piss anyone off—even a calm person like Carol—for a little while.

They continued on in silence as Daryl thought about what he'd just told Beth. He promised her he'd try talking more, and now seemed like a good time to start. He wondered what to talk about and decided something that didn't have to do with his family would be easier.

"I didn't finish high school."

Beth took his hand at his confession. "Neither did I."

He looked over at her and smirked. "I hated everythin' about school. The people, the teachers, feelin' like I was in a cage. I did better outdoors, so one day, I just stopped goin'. No one gave me any hell about it. They didn't care all that much about me.

"I don't even think my old man knew how old I was, so when I was home durin' the day, he didn't question it. When Merle got outta jail after I quit, I started followin' him around more."

He paused. An easy story had turned into a hard story real fast.

"How old were ya? How much older was Merle than ya?"

And with little effort, she steered it back to safety.

"I was sixteen and Merle is—was—five years older than me."

"Wow, so he was twenty-one and could get ya drunk." She laughed and squeezed his hand.

"Got drunk long before that. That was the old man's specialty."

Back to unsafe territory.

"Tell me somethin' crazy ya and Merle did."

Daryl sighed and shook his head. "Then or when we was older?"

Beth shrugged. "Whichever."

He thought about it as they kept on through the woods. Nearly every story that involved Merle had some type of crime or shady shit involved. It was kind of what his brother specialized in.

"Uhhh, when I was seventeen, we went to this bar. It was a real hole in the wall, and they didn't card ya. I was havin' a beer, and he was shootin' whiskey like it was his job. I knew somethin' bad was gonna happen, but I wasn't sure what exactly. I knew he was on probation and he'd get three to five if he went back before the end of the year, so I tried to keep him outta most trouble.

"This waitress he'd had his eye on for awhile kinda brushed up against him and whispered in his ear. He was a lost cause after that. I watched 'em walk to the back and figured, what the fuck, let 'em have some fun.

"Next thing ya know, all I hear is yellin' and shit fallin' over in the back. I run back there, thinkin' I'm gonna find some asshole beatin' on my brother, but he'd been off his ass drunk, and all that movin' around..." He cleared his throat and tried to think of the right way to elaborate. "Ya know"—he wiggled his eyebrows—"made his stomach get a little upset. Puked all down the front of that bitch's top.

"I was laughin', and Merle had passed out. Had to pull up his damn pants and haul his ass outta there."

Beth's face was priceless. He wasn't sure if she was going to laugh or her eyes were going to pop out of their sockets.

"Next day, figured out he'd been too wasted to remember anythin', so I told 'im that he nailed her good. Could hear her screamin' his name from the bar. He nearly killed me when he came back that night after tryin' hook up with her again. I took that beatin', laughin' the whole fuckin' time. Ain't never seen Merle more fuckin' embarrassed in my life."

Finally she started laughing, and once she started, she couldn't seem to stop. Soon, he was leaning up against a tree, laughing, too, and watching her eyes shine as she looked up at him.

Talking to her wasn't so bad.

* * *

It was a couple of hours before they made it back to his bike, and he was dragging. After their laughing fit, Beth had told him some stories about growing up, but they were all pretty tame compared to his.

He already had another one he was going to tell when they got a free minute. This one was just as humiliating, but it was about him, and he figured she should know it. Daryl would need to gather up his courage for that story, though.

Once he was on the bike, she swung her leg over and joined him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"I wish I knew how to drive this thing or that ya'd brought the truck. Ya look like you're about to drop."

"I'll be all right. Might have to take a nap when I get back to the cabin, though."

Beth squeezed him in a hug and he started the bike.

"I hope Maggie and the baby are okay," she yelled over the noise, causing him to flinch.

"Me, too."

* * *

She loved riding on the bike. If she closed her eyes, she felt like she was flying, and for a little while, it was just her and Daryl and peace.

The drive back to the cabin was over far too quickly, and a sense of sadness settled over her as they walked through the woods. It wasn't just about the ride being over, either. She was positive that sometime last night, Maggie had given birth, and she felt like she'd missed out since she hadn't been around to bring this new life into the world.

It was silly, and she needed to get over it. As long as they were both alive and okay, she would be a proud aunt.

Beth thought of what Daryl had said earlier about how this baby was a part of Glenn and she smiled. This would be a bittersweet experience for all of them, and she hoped the baby looked like Glenn, even just a little.

Daryl propped the bike next to the truck and walked with her over to the fence. He reached out and tugged on her arm as she leaned down to slide under the fence.

She looked up at him, watching as his eyes shifted over her face and he took a slow breath.

"I love ya," he whispered.

Her heart skipped, and she touched his hand. "Ya don't have to tell—"

"I said it 'cause I meant it." Daryl kissed her quickly and moved to go under the fence. She watched him for a moment and then slid under, too.

Once they were walking to the cabin, she laced her fingers with his and said quietly, "I love ya, too."

* * *

Inside the cabin was quiet.

Rick and Carl were asleep on their cots with Judith sitting up between them, playing with a stuffed giraffe.

"Hey," Carol whispered, waving them over, carefully rocking a little bundle.

Beth moved to the side of the bed quickly, smiling wide the whole time. She saw that her sister was asleep and was thankful for that. She'd have been a crying mess otherwise.

"She was born a little before sunrise."

"A girl?" Beth bit her lip to stop her excited squeal of happiness. "I'm gonna find ya all the pink frilly things I can, baby girl."

Carol held her out to Beth with a smile. "She's so precious."

Beth swayed from side to side, looking down at the sleeping newborn. "Thank ya, Carol," she whispered without looking up. "For bein' there for her when I couldn't and takin' such good care of 'em."

That seemed to take her by surprise, and she shook her head and backed away. She might have caused a scene yesterday, but for now, Beth was calling a truce. They'd have a discussion—that was certain—but it wouldn't be now.

"You're welcome. Your daddy made sure I knew everythin' he did, so it's really him we should be thankin'."

Beth nodded. "He would have loved you, angel." Then she twisted her lips to the side. "He does love you. He's gonna watch over ya."

They stood there for a minute, just watching the baby sleep, then Beth looked back over at Carol and asked, "What'd she name 'er?"

That made Carol laugh softly. "I promised I wouldn't tell ya. She wants to."

"Makes me think she wants to see my face," Beth said warily. "If it's somethin' terrible, I'll just call ya somethin' else."

Carol took that moment to slip away. "Michonne went to the creek to wash some of the towels and sheets; I'll go help her. Carl and Rick were up all night killin' stragglers. Judith slept like a rock." She smiled and ruffled Judith's hair as she passed her. It seemed like she was going to say something to Daryl, but she just nodded at him as she walked out the door.

"Come here, Daryl. Meet my niece." She turned from the door and caught him staring at her while holding Judith and the giraffe. "Ya look good holdin' babies."

He snorted and shook his head. "You're crazy."

They met in the center of the room and she turned the baby toward him.

"Holy shit, it's a little Asian baby."

"Daryl Dixon!" She whisper-yelled at him. "Ya cain't say that!"

"What? Looks like Glenn. Damn." He laughed and touched the baby's cheek. She wriggled and grunted but stayed asleep. "She's cute."

"She really is." Beth tugged up the cap she was wearing and saw a head full of black hair. "Oh, good gracious! I need bows, Daryl. Lots of bows."

He shook his head. "Woman, ya need to calm down. Maggie might not want all that girlie shit."

"Whatever." She shrugged and ran her fingers lightly through the downy hair as Daryl watched on.

"I was cotton-headed as a boy," Daryl mumbled, tickling Judith with the giraffe.

"Really?"

"Yeah, all rednecks start out that way," he joked.

"You're such a dork."

He grinned at her and then put Judith back down on the toddler mattress. "Gimme that baby."

Beth carefully handed her over, and he started walking around the small room, whispering to her quietly. She bent down and picked up a smiling Judith, cuddling her to her chest.

"I missed ya so much," she whispered against her hair.

"Beth?" Maggie's voice was scratchy, and Beth turned toward her immediately, rushing to her side.

Daryl moved to the bed, too. After Maggie eyed him up and down, she sighed and shook her head. "Ain't even gonna get into this with y'all. Just treat her right, ya hear me?" Daryl nodded. "Now, lemme see my girl."

He carefully placed the baby in Maggie's arms and then backed up against the wall, crossing his arms. Beth gave him Judith before sitting down next to Maggie on the side of the bed.

"What did ya name her?"

Maggie bit her bottom lip and scrunched her eyebrows. "Don't be mad, all right? It just fits."

"Just tell me!" She clapped her hands together.

"Maisie."

Beth's jaw dropped and she huffed. "Maggie, I told ya that in secret! Ya promised me."

"I know. I'm so sorry! I just looked at her, and it fit. If it helps, her middle name is Elizabeth."

Beth wiped her eyes and sighed. "If I wasn't so happy that you and Maisie were all right, I'd be really upset right now."

Maisie woke up then, screeching, and Maggie started to push down the neck of her tank top.

"Well, that's my cue to go check the fence." Maggie stopped and looked up at him, confused. Daryl gently put Judith down beside Beth on the bed. "She's beautiful. A mini Glenn. Congrats." He turned and hurried to the door.

"Thank you," Maggie replied, but he was already gone.

Beth shrugged. "He ducks out pretty quick when he's uncomfortable, and you were about to flash the girls."

"Ain't like he hasn't seen boobs before, and I was gonna nurse her not flash him for beads."

She snorted and shook her head. "She really is gorgeous."

Maggie nodded, looking down at the baby as she latched on to her breast. "It hurts," she whispered.

Beth leaned over and bit her lip. "We can find a book on breastfeedin' maybe, or Carol might've nursed Sophia."

"Not that," she said. "Well, it does hurt a little, but I think I'll get used to it." She swallowed hard. "I miss Glenn."

Beth took her sister's hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm sorry he's not here."

"Me, too. He was so excited about the baby. His hand was always on my stomach, feelin' her kick, and he went out as soon as we found out about her and got a baby book and was readin' it." Her tears were falling fast. "He would have been so proud of her. He joked all the time that he had the dominate genes and that it wouldn't even look like I had anythin' to do with her, and he was right. Do ya think this is his way of tellin' me that it's goin' to be okay? That he's watchin' over us?"

Beth wrapped her arms around her sister and tried to keep her own tears at bay but failed. "Absolutely, Maggie Mae. I don't doubt it for a minute."

* * *

"I'm really happy you found her." Carol's voice came from behind him, and he sighed. "I acted kinda crazy, I'll admit."

"Yeah."

"You don't gotta make this easy, but it would be nice if you'd look at me."

Daryl turned around and crossed his arms. "Whatcha want?"

"I'm sorry, Daryl."

"Me, too. I guess it's pretty shitty that I started this with Beth when I told ya I didn't want to get with anyone that way."

Carol shook her head. "You couldn't control it. I just really thought you'd come around, but it was wrong of me to come into your home and treat her that way. To treat you that way. You're my friend above everything else, and I promise you that I won't cross that line again."

"I promise I won't be an asshole much."

She held her hand out and he took it, shaking on their promises.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" She asked, picking up the basket of towels on the ground that he hadn't noticed before.

"Naw, but I'm a forgivin' person. It's Beth ya gotta worry about."

She had the decency to look ashamed. "She's a good person. I knew that a long time ago, and for a few days, I forgot that I was like a mom to her back at the prison. I just saw her as this woman standin' between us. I was so caught up in it that I didn't realize at the time that we had put _you_ in the middle. I'm sorry for puttin' ya in that position."

"It'll be okay." He shrugged, trying to think of a way to end the conversation.

"Hey," Beth said as she stepped around the side of the cabin. Daryl realized at that moment they were in the same place as yesterday. "This is a lot better than before," she snipped and pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry, Beth," Carol said sincerely. "It's settled, and I'm not going to act how I was. I was emotional and crazy for a few days. It was just a shock." Beth stared at her, unmoved by her apology. "I hope things can get back to how they were."

"I'm sure things will work themselves out—eventually. Right now, I just want to slap ya." Beth's hands were at her sides, clenched into fists. "I won't, but it's gonna take some time for that feelin' to go away. If I see ya look at him in a more-than-friendly way, I might act on the urge."

Carol nodded and looked away. "It's so strange to see how much you've come outta your shell. Both of you." She cleared her throat. "I gotta hang these up and get the rest from Michonne."

After Carol left, Beth and Daryl stared at each other for minute before she asked, "What'd she say?"

"She's sorry. Ain't gonna happen again. Wants us to mend fences and keep our friendship."

"What'd ya say?"

"I said I wanted the same thing." Beth narrowed her eyes. "Easy, killer. Things ain't gonna be _that _friendly."

She took a deep breath and walked toward him. "I know we're movin' slow, but does that mean you're not gonna sleep beside me?"

He wrapped her up in a hug and shook his head. "Ain't a chance in hell we're movin' that slow." Daryl pulled back and kissed her softly. "Ain't even sure I was in my right mind when I said that."

She laughed against his chest, and after a few seconds, he stepped back. "So what's the deal with Maisie?"

"I told Maggie that if I ever had a girl, I wanted to name her that. I loved the name and thought it was just beautiful. She took it, though, so I guess I'll have to find a new one that I like."

"Huh."

She smirked. "Huh, what?"

Daryl shrugged. He'd never thought about naming kids. Didn't even know if there was a name is was really fond of. "It's a nice name. You'll figure out somethin' else. Why Elizabeth?"

"My name's just Beth; I always wished that my parents had gone with somethin' a bit fancier. I went through a stage where I made everyone call me Elizabeth. Maggie promised me that if she had a baby girl, she'd call her that."

"That's fucked up. She took your name and still used the other one."

Beth laughed. "Yeah, she's sorta selfish, but I'll let her get away with it this time." She gasped. "What's your middle name?"

"What?"

"Daryl, I've known ya for years, I'm kinda sorta your maybe wife, and I don't know your middle name."

He bristled at her wording and spoke quickly. "Ain't no _kinda sorta maybe_ about it. I meant what I said then, and I mean it now. Just 'cause I'm socially retarded doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm doin'." He cleared his throat. "My middle name is Ray."

He loved the grin that covered her face and almost kissed it away, but she started talking.

"Daryl Ray Dixon." She tapped her bottom lip. "And your brother?"

He closed his eyes. "Ray."

"Really?"

"Momma wasn't all that creative_,_ I don't guess." He shrugged, looking down.

"Your momma's name?"

"Sarah."

"Your daddy?" Daryl cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head in her direction. With a laugh, Beth ran over him and hugged him close. "Your daddy's name was Ray!"

"Yeah, even named after that bastard."

Beth kissed him, sliding her tongue over his bottom lip, and he let her lead. She was so fucking happy she was smiling against his lips, and it made him smile, too.

"I don't wanna freak ya out, but when we get there, we're breakin' that tradition."

"No shit."

She hooked her arm into his and led him back to the front of the cabin. "I'm pretty sure Maggie's put her boobs away, so it's safe again." He felt his ears heat up, and Beth kissed his cheek. "You're precious."

He rolled his eyes but smiled. He was ready to go to sleep, and as soon as Beth left him go to visit with Maggie and Maisie, he lay down on their pallet and fell straight to sleep.


	22. Chapter 21

Ch. 21

* * *

Daryl slept for a few hours, and when he woke up, everyone was moving around the cabin, getting stuff ready for dinner. He turned his head to the side and saw Maggie propped up on the bed and nursing the baby. Instead of just letting her tits hang out like before, she was covered with a baby blanket.

He snorted and thought about Beth talking her into covering herself. It wasn't that he or Rick would have a problem keeping their eyes up, but he imagined Carl would be drawn to her every time that baby cried. He laughed out loud, and Beth turned toward him.

"Good nap?"

He sat up and rolled his neck. "Yeah. Slept like a baby on this hard-as-fuck floor."

"Have ya gone soft since sleepin' in this nice, big bed, Daryl?" Maggie asked from her comfortable spot on the pillows.

Groaning, he stood up and went outside. As he walked past the bed, he smirked and shot her the finger.

Maybe he'd gone a little soft, but if soft meant sleeping on a mattress, he'd be that way. When they found a bigger place, he'd make sure that him and Beth had a good bed to sleep on with lots of pillows and plenty of space. Sleeping on the floor with some sleeping bags for cushion was for the fucking birds.

He'd just finished taking a piss around the corner of the cabin when he heard footsteps. "Daryl? Ya finished?" Beth asked.

He peeked over his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah, girl. Whatcha need?"

"I slipped when I was in the woods." Her hand went to the back of her shirt and she cringed a little.

"Yeah, I know," he said, wiping his hand on his jeans, then making her turn away from him.

"How?"

"Well, I figured as much when your footprints turned to an ass print all the way down the hill." Beth winced as he pulled up her shirt. "Wait here, and I'll go get the stuff to clean it. It's not awful, but I probably need to clean the dirt outta it."

He slipped around her, back into the cabin, and went straight to the Tupperwares with medicines and first aid supplies and got all the things he needed. He tried not to pay attention to all their stares as he sanitized his hands and went back out the door. Beth had walked toward the fence, and he motioned her under then walked out of the view of the cabin to the creek.

When he was sure they were far enough away and no one was around, she stripped off her shirt and bra and started to clean up.

For a minute, he watched her wash off and just enjoyed the view. He'd told her they needed to go slow, and he sorta meant it. She was so damn beautiful, and she hit all the right buttons. Beth turned, looked over her shoulder at him, and smiled.

The way she looked at him made his fucking chest ache. Never before had a woman looked at him the way she did. Women never cared about him or wanted to be close to him the way that she had. It was like all the things that had happened in his life had shown him the way he shouldn't act with someone he loved.

He figured that right now might be a good time to tell her something else about himself. He wasn't sure how she'd take it, but it was the kind of thing she'd wanted to know so many times before and he'd shut her down. Now he'd tell her, and she'd see just how he really was.

Daryl sat back against a tree and said quietly, "I lost my virginity when I was seventeen."

Beth froze for a split second before she resumed washing her hair in the chilly water. "Ain't nothin' to really talk about. I'd followed Merle to some pasture party because he said he needed a wingman when he dropped off some meth he was sellin'. He was gone for a while, and I knocked back a few beers. Finally, he came back around with this girl-she was a little older than me but not by much. Called herself Pixie." Beth quirked an eyebrow and looked unimpressed. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't name the bitch. Anyway, a few more drinks, a little bit of some stronger stuff, and she took my hand and said, 'Follow me.' Next thing I know we're out at some truck." Beth made a face and turned away from him, picking up the bar of soap he placed on the towel. "Wasn't all that great. I, uh, wasn't very practiced, if ya get my drift."

"Oh, I get ya, Daryl," she muttered as cupped some water in her hands to rinse the suds off her chest.

"Yeah, I went back to the party to Merle smilin' and clappin' me on the back. Few minutes later, I saw him talkin' with the girl, and he dropped some money into her hand."

She grabbed the towel from off the ground and wrapped it around her body, drying off. "Oh."

Daryl shrugged, looking down at her feet.

"Yeah." He shook his head. "Ya think I'm some sorta ladies man, but I'm not. I wasn't good at talkin' to girls—or anyone, really. Merle, he thought he did me a favor, but really, he sorta fucked me up. I don't know how to say it, but I thought she _wanted_ to talk to me, mighta thought I was good lookin' or just really wanted to get with me, but she didn't. She was gettin' paid, and even if she did feel those things for me, it was just a bonus, ya know. She'd have fucked me no matter what.

"After that, women were few and far between. I'd be wasted and lonely, and they were willin' and knew the deal. It sounds like a dick move, and it was, but it was easy. I ain't never had someone good like you. Someone that I can touch and know that it's me ya want and I'm not some stand-in dick." He swallowed hard. "That'd kill me if ya felt that way."

"Ya know I don't," she whispered, kneeling down in front of him. Beth wrapped her arms around his shoulders and said, "You're the only person I think about like that."

"I worry sometimes that ya might wish I was Jimmy or Zach. They were good guys and they liked ya and they weren't assholes."

"They were sweet guys, but Daryl, I get excited just to see ya—and when you touch me? Gracious, it's like I'm made of electricity or somethin'. Don't ya doubt that, babe. And it's not just the physical stuff. I love talkin' to ya. I think you're funny and really sweet when ya wanna be."

"Didn't tell ya that so you'd try and talk me up." There was a bit of an edge in his voice, and he sighed.

"I'd never talk ya up. I mean what I say."

"Turn around. Let me fix up your back."

She sat down between his legs and let the towel drop to reveal her back. Daryl traced his hand over the scraps and then set to work cleaning her up. They would have been fine on their own, but he didn't want to take any chances with her getting an infection.

When he was done, Beth put her bra and shirt back on and toweled off her hair some more before they walked back to the cabin. Once they were inside, Daryl made her a bowl of food as she checked on Maggie.

"Everythin' all right?" Rick asked, nodding his head at Beth.

"She's fine. She just fell when she was runnin' through the woods and scraped her back up."

He hadn't thought about how everyone else would view him going to the creek with her as she washed, just talking to her and seeing her naked like that. The group knew they were together, but it sort of put things more out in the open than before. He ignored them and took a seat next to the door on Michonne's cot. Beth joined him, and he handed her the bowl he had made.

"Thanks," she said quietly and started eating.

The group that had once been in discussion, suddenly turned silent. He didn't like this feeling around them at all. They'd been through too much shit to have this fuck them up. The tense silence seem to give Rick a kick in the ass, and he started talking.

"Should we look for a new place now and move there after we harvest the garden?"

Everyone was quiet and looking all different directions, pretending they didn't know why he was asking.

Daryl stood and took his bowl to the sink, gaining everyone's attention. His skin crawled a little, but he said, "Listen, we gotta good place right here. We're safe. It's fuckin' crowded, but I'm willin' to deal with that until it gets cold so we don't put anybody at risk that don't have to be. I'll go look, ain't got no problem with that, but I don't wanna move until winter sets in and the walkers slow down."

"Do ya think it's a good idea to wait? We're in pretty close quarters, and it might make things easier if we were a bit more spread out." Rick spoke with authority, and Daryl knew he was getting ready to lay down the law, which irked him a little. He'd done nothing to put the group in danger.

"Hell yeah, it would make things easier. I'd get to hide from y'all starin' at me like I'm some fuckin' pervert for bein' with Beth. And we'd all be able to sleep on beds again." He paused and looked over at Maggie, who'd moved to sit on the bed just a minute before. "I ain't tryin' to make ya feel bad. Ya deserve the damn bed. Don't y'all think I'm tryin' to kick tha woman who just popped out a kid to the floor."

"I'm not really sure what ya want me to say, Daryl. If we're actin' funny, it's because of what went down yesterday." Rick pushed his food away and turned to face him.

"Bullshit. Y'all were lookin' down your noses at us when ya got here."

"It was a shock," Michonne said carefully. "Nothin' we can't move on from. I think we're just concerned that maybe things will flare up again. Is that gonna happen or have y'all worked things out enough to stay here until winter?"

He tensed up and was about to start cussing out everyone. Wasn't none of their fucking business.

"Everything's fine," Beth spoke loudly, drawing their attention away from him. "We had a misunderstandin' yesterday, and Daryl and I had a very long talk this mornin', and we're good. Not that it's really any of your business on how thangs were resolved, but Carol and I talked as well. We're all fine. I will say this, though, if ya want to move on before winter, you'll be leavin' without me and Daryl. We've seen how easy things are in tha winter. To start movin' now, when it's still so warm, would be askin' for trouble.

"Ya might think it's a little strange that we ended up together, but it's really not. We're good together, and if ya'd just open yourselves up to tha idea of us as a couple, ya'd see that."

Rick blew out a heavy breath. He still looked as though he doubted them. "If ya say we're fine here, then I guess I believe ya."

"Yeah, we're fuckin' peachy," Daryl muttered and went to grab his bow before walking outside.

* * *

Beth sighed loudly and shook her head.

They just _had_ to keep on, and now he was burrowing into himself, ready to lash out. Instead of continuing on that same vein of conversation, which she knew they all expected her to do, she went somewhere else.

"Rick's right; tha garden should be ready in a few weeks, and I'll need some help cannin' stuff. I remember a little bit of what Momma used to do, but does anybody else know anything about cannin'?"

Everyone was quiet for a beat before Maggie said, "Ya know I don't. I never paid any attention to that."

"I used to can," Carol said quietly. "We had a garden, and I'd have a stocked pantry going into tha fall."

Everyone seemed to be waiting for Beth to tell her to go to hell and completely go back on what she'd just said. Rick looked like he was about to snap his fork when she finally said, "That's great news. We're gonna have a lot, and I was worried I'd mess it up. If you're good with it, you can handle tha canning, and I'll help out. You can go through tha stuff me and Daryl found tomorrow and see if we need anythin' else."

"Okay. That's fine by me."

Rick stood up quickly and nodded to them. "I'm gonna go have a talk with Daryl. Straighten thangs out."

"Good," Beth said quietly.

With him gone, the tension in the room lessened significantly. She wondered why he was so keyed up after their spat yesterday, but didn't know him well enough to make a guess. She just hoped that he and Daryl would be able to work it out.

* * *

Daryl leaned over, tugging on the bottom line of the fence. It looked like it was sagging a little, and he thought about going ahead and added some more nails but thought it might be best to just redo the whole bottom row. Probably the top, too.

When Maggie had been in labor, she'd brought down a lot of company on the fence, and it looked a little tired because of it. He shook his head, thinking of the damage that would have happened if he hadn't made it in the first place.

Who knew that barbed wire and trees would keep the walkers out so well?

Daryl heard him coming the moment he stepped off the porch but had hoped he was just getting some air. That didn't seem to be the case.

"Needs repairin'?" Rick asked as he walked over to the section of fence.

"Yeah. I'll redo tha top and bottom tomorrow. I'll need a few hours to finish it; it'll hold up until then."

Rick followed him as he checked the next set of lines, but he kept quiet.

"Whatcha want?" Daryl asked after several minutes of silence. He just wanted Rick to spit it out and go back inside.

"Things like this can hurt a group."

"Like what?" He straightened and faced Rick.

"What you've got goin' with Beth and Carol."

"I ain't got shit goin' with Carol."

Rick shrugged. "I don't care which one ya pick, but if ya were with Carol at the prison, like a lot of us thought you were, this thing with Beth has got to be hard for her."

"I was never with Carol. She's my friend. I'm with Beth. That's all there is to it." Daryl held his hands up and shook his head. "Don't know what tha fuck else ya want me to say, Rick."

Daryl turned back to the fence and moved down the wires, pulling and checking, and wished he'd hear boots heading back the direction they came.

"Sometimes ya do things when ya think you're alone. You look for comfort in someone else. I understand, but I'm tellin' ya, it's gonna be hard for Carol to turn those feelings off even if she said it was okay."

"We ain't gonna cause any problems with the rest of the group. When have ya ever known me to put my shit out there like that?"

"That's what I'm sayin', Daryl. Yesterday would've never happened at tha prison. You're a private person, but all that shit yesterday showed that somethin' is wrong here."

Daryl stepped forward and growled. "Get off my dick about this, man. Ain't nothin' gonna happen here. Carol might not be happy right now, but she's a grown-ass woman, and her and Beth ain't gonna have no bitch fight over me because I didn't even have to chose. It's Beth. It was Beth. And it will always be Beth. I knock anyone up, it's gonna be Beth. Me and Carol, we had a couple of times where we slipped, but I ain't never fucked her. Never even went further than kissin' her. So just back the fuck off."

Rick stared at him for a minute and then clenched his fists at his side. "It gets outta hand again, we're leaving earlier. I'm not gonna have a repeat of the farm."

"Like Beth said, ya leave before winter, you'll be movin' on without us."

Rick took a few steps forward and got up in his face "What happened to you? It's like your head's clouded now. Ya cain't see what's happenin' right in front of ya. Ya don't see how this is gonna blow up!"

"It already did." Daryl pushed him back a little. "Yesterday? That was it. The days leadin' up to it were the build up. Women ain't gonna let it fester and hope it just disappears like a man will. Like _y'all_ did. It's done over with, Rick. Ain't nothin' else gonna happen."

Daryl might as well have punched him in the face with saying that because Rick pulled back, his eyes wide. "I hope you're right." Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

Daryl watched him until he rounded the cabin, and then he went back to work.

He could understand where Rick was coming from. All the shit that went down early on fucked the group up good. Rick had killed Shane because if he hadn't, Shane would have killed him. All over Lori. It shouldn't have even been a fucking contest. She'd been married. They shouldn't have fucked around so soon anyway, but Daryl had just kept his mouth shut and watched from afar as it unraveled.

It made sense that Rick didn't want that to happen again, but Beth and Carol weren't him and Shane. They might be bitchy to each other occasionally, no matter what truce was called, but that was it.

He wasn't being swayed by Carol, and she knew there was no use trying. He did feel bad she was lonely, though, and he sort of wished they'd stumble upon a nice, middle-aged man who would be good for her.

_You a fuckin' matchmaker now?_

Daryl snorted and shook his head. He needed Merle. Carol would have set his ass straight quick, fast, and in a hurry.

* * *

Daryl came in right before dark, gathered some clean clothes, and went to wash up.

She wished she could have gone in there and spoken to him, but she was feeding Judith some canned oranges while everyone settled down for the night.

Maggie was nursing the baby and singing quietly, so she listened to her and let herself relax a little.

She knew things were going to be a little rough for a few days, but it would get better. As everyone saw that they'd really fixed things, they'd stop waiting for a fight to happen.

When he came out of the bathroom, he sat down beside her at the table, laying his arm across the back of her chair.

"Why ya feedin' her again?" He asked as he reached a finger out and tickled Judith's foot. The baby laughed and pulled her foot before sticking it out again.

"She didn't really eat tha soup and she needs to eat. She likes oranges, don't ya, baby girl?

Judith clapped and opened her mouth for another soft orange slice.

"Ya and Rick sort things out?" she whispered so no one would hear.

"Just one of those things that's gonna take time."

Beth finished feeding Judith, changed her into some pajamas, and then laid her down on her mattress. She fussed a little, but Rick reached over and put his hand on her stomach and she grabbed his finger and quieted.

Beth smiled at them then went to her and Daryl's place on the floor and laid down beside him.

"This is nice." She cuddled into his chest.

"Yeah," he whispered back and kissed the top of her head. "Night, girl."

He fell asleep before her for once, and she stayed awake, playing with the hair that fell over his forehead.

"I really am sorry," Carol whispered from behind her.

Beth rolled over and looked up at her. "Do you love him?

Carol nodded and sighed. "But I don't think I love him like you do. I think that maybe I just confused what we had. It's the way you look at each other, like y'all got a secret." She paused and smiled sadly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. I think it's more realizing the truth behind my feelings than losing something I thought I had. I still hope you don't get offended when I talk to him or pick at him. It's fun, and I've always done it."

Beth watched her for a moment and nodded. "I think it will just take a little time for me. It hurt me a lot."

"I'm sorry for that so much. Beth, to see the woman you've become since the prison—I'm so proud of you, and I really hope we can get close again."

"I think we will."

Carol's smiled turned a little brighter and she nodded again as she scooted back over to her cot and covered up. "Night."

"Night."

As she started to roll back toward Daryl, his arm came over her stomach and he pulled her back to him. He squeezed her tightly and kissed her shoulder.

"Sleep," he whispered.

Beth closed her eyes and soon she was lost in dreams of before, but Daryl was there with her.


	23. Chapter 22

Ch. 22

* * *

For the next couple of weeks, things were quiet. The group settled in and everyone had their own jobs to do. Rick had apparently accepted Daryl and Beth's relationship but seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It wasn't going to, though, and eventually, he'd figure that out.

Daryl had fixed the fence with Carl's help, and they'd set up another clothesline since there were a whole lot more clothes to wash now, especially with two babies. Michonne had gone out one day and brought back an SUV with two carseats.

"If we're gonna be moving, we need to have things ready," she'd said when she returned.

Daryl didn't disagree, and they loaded some of the extra Tupperware bins into the back of it so they'd have more room in the cabin. If they had to run unexpectedly, they'd have more supplies already packed to take with them before they could come back and get the rest—if they could get the rest.

Beth and Carol had been handling each other's presence well enough and had started working on the garden together. Daryl figured he might be the awkward one there, so he just kept away from them when they were together doing stuff like that.

He and Beth had gotten closer over the last several weeks, too. Every evening when he checked the fence, she'd come with him and afterward, they'd sit against the back of the cabin and talk. Sometimes he'd tell her things about growing up, and sometimes she'd do the talking. He'd tell her heavy stuff—like the abuse he took from his old man—and she'd hug him and hold him after. Then he'd tell her easy stuff, like how he put a fake snake in Merle's bed when they were living together a few years before and how he screamed like a little bitch.

The more he got out, the more he realized it was a good thing. He'd never had a best friend, not counting Merle, but Beth was that for him. He could tell her anything, and even if she didn't like what he said, she didn't judge him or throw it back in his face. She even admitted her own jealousy a few days before about the whole Pixie issue. He'd smirked and shook his head, but she just smiled and said, "Ya mark my words, Daryl Dixon. I'ma make ya forget all about that. Ya just gotta give me a little time to work out the details."

He liked that she was possessive of him and didn't like the thought of him with anyone else. He'd never had that before, and it made him feel worth something, knowing she wanted him to be only hers. She didn't have nothing to worry about and she knew it, too. Just like he knew that there wasn't any way she'd walk away from him again.

Them being together made sense. It worked.

They'd finish checking the fence a few minutes before, and Beth spread out a blanket on the ground. He sat down first, but instead of sitting beside him like she usually did, she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Whatcha doin', girl?" he asked, running his hands down her back.

"Kiss me?" she asked as she leaned down toward him.

He'd never tell her no. In fact, aside from the quick pecks they'd shared over the last couple of weeks, they hadn't been close like this. He'd held her at night, but they kept things tame. Not because they were going slow on things, but because they had a cabin full of people that could overhear and two babies that woke up crying.

Daryl tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her to him, covering her lips with his. Neither even bothered to pretend they weren't wound up and wanting something. It had been a while and getting stuff out in the open like they had been had made him need her all that much more. That truly surprised him when he realized it.

Without giving it much thought, he slid his hand down her back and across her ass, pushing her down against his dick before moving to her bare thigh.

It had been so damn hot the last few days, and she found a pair of black cotton shorts in some clothes she'd taken during the winter. Those things were as bad as the black stretchy pants she wore. He'd just stand and watch her as she bent over, picked up stuff, helped with the babies, made dinner—shit, just stood on the porch.

He wanted those legs wrapped around his fucking waist.

"Touch me," she whispered against his lips. "Please, Daryl."

God, when she begged him like that. He strained against his jeans and knew there wasn't a chance in hell they'd get to him tonight, but he needed this as much as she did.

"Ya want my fingers?" he asked, smirking when she moaned.

"I'll take your fingers, but I really want your dick," she breathed out as he moved his hand under the hem of her shorts.

"Good Lord." His voice was ragged against her skin, and he felt close to losing it. All he had to do was push her shorts to the side and unzip his jeans. It was so fucking tempting, especially when he felt how damn wet she already was. "I—we can't do that out here. I want to so fuckin' bad, Beth. God, girl, you're gonna kill me with wantin' ya."

She started to speak, but he pushed a single finger inside her, and she just dropped her head to his shoulder. A couple more strokes and then another finger, and she was riding his hand, sucking on his neck.

"Oh yes," she whispered beside his ear. "More, please." He groaned and slipped in another finger, feeling her stretch around him.

"Damn," he grated out and turned her to face him, kissing her hard, sweeping his tongue in her mouth. With every flick of his thumb over her clit, she clenched down around him. Beth was so lost in it that she started mumbling against his skin, and he thrust up against her.

Daryl curled his fingers inside of her and pressed down her clit while kissing the spot below her ear that she loved.

"Give me it, girl," he said and sucked harder on her skin before pulling back and whispering dirty things into her ear. A few mentions of fucking her hard as soon as he got a chance and wanting to feel her come on his dick and she was gone. Nothing but high-pitched moaning that was probably a little too loud to not be noticed, but wasn't nobody coming out there. They knew it was their time to visit, and ain't nothing like this happened before.

It was about damn time, he figured.

He slowed down his fingers and pulled them out, wiping them on those damn shorts.

"Mmmm." She hummed against his neck. "Sorry I kinda jumped you. I just really needed that. Been watchin' ya all day."

His hands clenched at her hips as he tried not to grind her down on his hard on. "Don't apologize for needin' me. It fuckin' turns me on more than ya know to see ya wild for me like that."

Beth sighed, slid her hands down his stomach, and started to undo his belt.

"We can't do that," he whispered, stilling her movements. "Someone'll hear us."

She kissed his neck and over to his jaw. When she reached his lips, she said, "Pretty sure they already did, and I don't really care. No one's comin' out here, and we'll be really quiet."

Daryl pulled her hands up and back around his neck. "That was yours. Just let me hold ya."

She bit her bottom lip and stared at him hard before nodding and leaning her head back against his shoulder. "Ya gonna tell me a story tonight?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

His eyes were closed and he'd been playing with her hair, trying to take his mind off his dick. He was comfortable again, but with her wrapped all around him, he was still tensed up and ready to push her over on her back. He knew he would never do that, but his brain liked to think he would. So did his dick.

"Sure," he said, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. He thought for a while about something to tell her and figured a hard story would be easier now since she was all relaxed and not really looking at him.

"I went to jail for a year," he said quietly. Beth tried to pull back and look at him, but he held her to his chest. "I went in at twenty-three and got out at twenty-four. I'm lucky. I got three years, but was out after one for good behavior."

"What'd you do?" Her own fingers were twisting in his hair now. She was nervous.

"Possession with intent to sell, resistin' arrest. I hit a cop." He listed his crimes and could hear the guilt in his voice. He hated admitting this to her. She thought he was a fucking hero, but in truth, he was just another white trash asshole. "It was my first offense, so I got off light, I guess. If it had been Merle, he'd have gone away a lot longer."

"Ya did drugs?" she asked, nuzzling into his neck.

Yeah, this fucking conversation made him feel like shit more than telling her about messing around with other women. She was way too damn good for him, and how he managed to have her sitting on him with her scent on his fucking fingers was anyone's guess.

"Sometimes," he answered carefully but then sighed. He knew she'd want to know it all, so he just let it all out. "Used to drink a lot—guess it runs in the family. Smoked pot, did coke a couple of times, but I felt like I was dyin', so I stopped. Merle got into meth and wanted me to try it, so I did, but it fucked me up pretty bad, so I quit. That was the hardest fuckin' thing ever. Merle got into pills, and I just started sellin' whatever he was pushin'. That's how I got popped.

"When I got outta jail, I went on a bender. Got really fucked up on some pills I found at Merle's. He found me stoned as hell at some bar about a week later and hauled my ass home. Let me tell ya somethin', when Merle Dixon tells ya to get your shit together, ya listen because he don't ever say anyone has problems.

"From then on, I just drank. Pushed away all the other shit. Merle cut back a lot, too. When all this shit went down, he started up again. I think he was just lookin' to escape it all, but I didn't. Not a chance in hell I was walkin' around high while walkers were tryin' to eat my fuckin' skin. I can't even imagine the fuckin' flashbacks ya'd have from that."

"Huh." She sat on his lap, quietly playing with his hair. He felt the need to fill the silence, but he wasn't sure what else to say. How did ya tell the woman that you fucking worshipped that you were a fucking drug addict and a borderline alcoholic that only cleaned up his shit because his equally fucked-up brother told him to. Or that he'd still be getting shitfaced whenever he could if the end of the world hadn't happened?

Finally, she said, "I don't really have anythin' to add to tonight's talk. I ain't never did drugs or went to jail. Daddy drank a lot when I was little, but he never beat us. He didn't take all that great of care of us for a while, but he wasn't mean." She shrugged. "I guess the only thing I can say is that I'm glad ya got straightened up and that you're here now." Beth kissed his cheek. "I love ya."

Daryl hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "Love ya, too."

They sat in silence as the sun set. He had no idea what she was thinking, but he hoped what he told her didn't change the way she viewed him too much. He didn't want her acting weird around him.

Beth scratched the back on his neck softly. "Did ya ever drop the soap?"

The question caught him completely off guard, and his brow furrowed. "What the fuck?"

She laughed and sat back, kissing his lips softly. "Ya know, it's always in the movies…"

It clicked all of a sudden, and he coughed out a laugh then dug his fingers into her ribs and started tickling her. "Trust me, I didn't ever drop the fuckin' soap. Now I get ya in a shower, I'll show ya what happens when _you_ drop it."

He watched her laugh and twist to get away from him, and he loved her a whole lot more for making him laugh even if it was about getting ass-fucked in jail. After a few seconds, he stopped and pulled her to sit up. "We need to go in. Get ya some dinner and help the others."

Beth nodded and kissed him before standing up. As they walked back to the cabin, she grabbed his hand and linked their fingers. He looked over at her, and she smiled at him just like she always did.

* * *

In the following weeks, Beth started to plan what she was going to do for Daryl's fast-approaching birthday.

One day when Daryl went hunting, she snuck out of the cabin and went to the car that she'd abandoned months ago. The bodies were long since gone, but she still had to calm herself as she approached the car.

She drove it closer to the cabin, but left the ropes attached to the back. There was no way she'd ever be able to touch them.

After that was done, she just had to wait for the right moment on his birthday.

Over that time, lots of changes happened for the group, too.

She'd found over the last few weeks that she and Carol weren't as tense when they were around each other. Beth watched her closely when Daryl was around, but it seemed like things had gone back to normal. She was glad of that for more than one reason.

The biggest change had been the baby, though.

Maisie had been such a good baby for the first few weeks of her life. She slept a lot, she didn't really cry all that much unless she wanted to eat, she let anyone hold her, and loved cuddles.

Somewhere around eight weeks, though, she just went crazy.

She cried at the drop of a hat. She absolutely hated when anyone but her momma held her. She'd stopped latching on the right away and she was causing Maggie to have problems with her nursing.

In the middle of the night, Maisie was screaming again. Beth sighed and started to stand up. Rick and Michonne had already gone outside to sit on the porch and keep an ear out for walkers while Carl slept after taking the earlier watch. Miraculously, Judith was still sleeping, and Beth prayed they didn't have two screaming babies on their hands soon. Those nights were the worst.

Daryl pushed her shoulder and said, "Lay down, girl. Ya runnin' yourself ragged. I got this."

He stood at the same time as Carol, but Beth saw him shake his head at her, too. He was right; she and Carol had spent the last few days from sunup to sundown working in the garden, harvesting ripe vegetables, and starting to can things. It might not have seemed like a lot of work, but it was tedious and boring and had to be done just right every single time.

Beth watched Daryl move to where Maggie was standing by the wall, trying to rock the baby and get to her to calm down. "Gimme that girl, Maggie."

She turned quickly, and in the soft light of the kerosene lamp, Beth could see her tears. "I don't know what else to do," she whispered.

"Ya lay down and try and get some sleep. You're dead on your feet. I got this little troublemaker."

Maggie hesitated then handed her over to Daryl, who eased her onto his shoulder and started patting her back. Maggie lay on the bed and covered herself fully with the blanket. Instead of ignoring her sister's silent crying, Beth walked over to the bed and climbed under the covers with her.

It was so dark she couldn't see her face, but she reached out and felt around until she touched her hand.

Maisie was still crying, but it was softer than before, and Maggie was shaking through her own tears.

"It's gonna be all right. Babies do this," Beth whispered. "She loves you and you're a great momma."

"I want Glenn," she sobbed quietly.

"I'm so sorry." Beth wrapped her arms around her sister and rocked her softly—like Daryl was doing with Maisie. Maggie cried herself to sleep, and Beth moved out from under the covers to where Daryl was standing with Maisie. She had settled down but remained awake.

"This kid's a pain in the ass, ain't she?" he asked, nodding his head down at her chubby face.

Instead of disagreeing, she said, "She is. We got a lil' asskicker and a lil' troublemaker, don't we?"

Beth reached out to touch Maisie, and Daryl turned her away. "Just got her ass settled down, woman, don't go touchin' on her. Go lay down and get some sleep."

She reached up and kissed his cheek. "Night, babe."

"Night."

As she started to drift off to sleep, Beth heard Daryl's voice whispering to Maisie in the dark. She wished he was closer so she could make out his words. If there was anything that made her calm, it was his voice. She felt safe when he was near her.

* * *

A few hours later, Maisie was laying in her pack-n-play, asleep, and Maggie was still out, too. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne had fallen asleep as the sun rose, which left the cabin very quiet. Beth hoped everyone could get some decent rest for once.

She and Carol went out to the garden, sitting Judith in another pack-n-play that they'd taken a while ago, and Carl sat out on the porch, keeping an eye on things.

Beth looked over at Judith and felt bad. In a different time, they'd have let her crawl and try to walk, but there were too many things around that were dangerous for her. Beth hated it, but as long as she and Carol were preoccupied, it was best if she was boxed in with her toys.

The weather was still overwhelmingly hot at times, but Beth didn't mind too much. She made sure that Judith had plenty to drink and her hat on.

A few minutes later, she thought she heard a stick snap and she looked around for the cause but didn't see anything. The truth was she was worrying more and more about the fall months coming and what that meant for them and the walkers.

Daryl was supposed to start scouting with Michonne for new places to stay soon. She didn't want him to be gone for days at a time, but there wasn't much she could do about it. He'd already volunteered and had been looking over their atlas, circling areas that might be good for them. The places were always close enough to towns for day trips, but far enough away from anything so they wouldn't get a lot of traffic.

They'd talked about moving north but weren't quite ready to say good-bye to Georgia just yet.

Beth was humming to herself and tending the peas when Carol gasped, causing her to turn quickly. She fell on her butt as the walker dragged itself across the ground toward her corner of the garden. The only thought Beth had as she kicked it in the face and tried to stand up was that Daryl was going to be pissed he didn't think of this before.

How the hell that thing had managed so far doing this was beyond her.

"I don't have my knife!" Carol yelled. "Carl!"

"I got mine," Beth said as she pulled it from his its place on her hip. She took two steps forward right as the arrow pierced through the side of its head.

She jumped back and held her hand to her chest. Daryl stalked over, pulled his arrow out, and wiped it on the back of the walker's ratty shirt.

"Next time, call my name before ya shoot. Ya coulda hit me," she said, staring between him and walker.

"Wouldn't have shot if I thought I'd hit ya." He turned and walked back around the cabin, not saying another word.

"He's in a mood, isn't he?" Carol said and went back to the other side of their little garden patch.

"Maybe he's just fussy because he needs some sleep." Beth looked over at the walker that lay to the left of their garden and cringed. "I wish he'd have moved it. I'ma have to go sanitize my hands before I can start helpin' again."

Beth moved forward and started to grab its shoulders when Daryl's voice stopped her. "Don't touch that fuckin' thing. I got it."

She stepped back and watched as he hauled it over to the fence and dragged it back under. Then set to wrapping another row of barbed wire closer to the ground, grumbling the entire time.

When he was far enough away, Beth turned to Carol and asked, "Do ya think that I might be able to sneak away for a little while tomorrow? I know we got work to do, but there's somethin' I need to do."

Carol tilted her head to the side, studying her, then nodded. "I can handle it."

"Thank you."

They went back to work in silence. Beth spent the rest of the morning thinking of just how she was going to get the next day's plan in action.


	24. Chapter 23

Ch. 23

* * *

Daryl caught Beth staring at him all morning as he checked the fence and got ready to go on a hunt. He didn't have to wonder what she was thinking about. He'd seen on her calendar this morning that it was his birthday. She hadn't made a big deal so far, just said, "Happy birthday, babe," and kissed him before he got up that morning.

He really wanted to spend some alone time with her for his birthday, but figured he'd do something else he liked since that probably wasn't going to happen. That's why he decided he'd go hunting.

Daryl slipped his bow over his shoulder and checked his knife. He'd thought about asking Carl to come along so he could teach him some stuff, but Maisie and Judith were singing the song of their people and he was staying back to watch the fence.

He'd almost stayed back, too, but Rick told him to go. Maybe if the girls got a bit more food, they'd sleep better tonight, or so he said. Daryl thought that was bullshit since the girls were better fed than anyone else. Well, Judith and Maggie, anyway. Maisie got food from Maggie, so he guessed the better her momma ate the better she did. He didn't really know, so he didn't question it.

"I'ma head out, Beth," he said as he walked over to the garden where she was working alone while Carol was helping with the babies.

"Okay." She stood on her toes and kissed him. "Be safe."

"Will do." He walked to the other side of the cabin to the small section of fence that didn't have the very bottom line of wire.

That fucking walker from the day before had pissed him off something awful. How the fuck that thing got that far out was a mystery to him. It was missing its lower half and marine crawled through the woods. It was some horseshit that those things could survive like that.

He shook those thoughts away and quietly made his way into the woods beyond the cabin. Thinking about things like that defeated the purpose of getting away.

If he could get a kill today, he'd be happy, and maybe the quiet would ease some of the anxiety he was feeling about going and scouting for places soon.

It wasn't that he didn't want to find a bigger place, he just didn't want to leave Beth while he went looking. He and Michonne would be gone for at least a week, maybe two if things didn't pan out on his first few choices of places.

He hoped and prayed that he'd find someplace with a decent fence and thought a lot about National Guard armories or military bases, but they scared him. Those places could get a lot of visitors looking for help, and some might be like the Governor and try and take it from them. Daryl wanted someplace secure and remote with a small perimeter to keep a close eye on.

He sighed and focused on the ground, trying to find something to track. He'd been out there at least an hour and would take a fucking squirrel at this point. After a few more minutes of nothing, he doubled back and started to look on the other side of the cabin. Daryl was about half a mile from the fence by his guess when he heard footsteps behind him.

He raised his bow and turned quickly, catching Beth in his sights.

He just stared for few seconds because he was sure he was seeing things. Her hair was down and wavy around her shoulders, and she was wearing one of his long-sleeved flannels. The sleeves were rolled up and she'd tied something around her waist to make it tight to her body. The shirt landed about mid thigh, and she was still wearing her work boots.

"I was goin' for sexy, but I think I came off as homeless," she said quietly, tugging on the collar. She'd left it unbuttoned a little so he could see the top of her tits.

Daryl lowered the bow to his side and let it hang as he continued to stare. "I'm not sure ya seen many homeless people if ya think ya look like one." She snorted. "Ya look like ya been kidnapped by some mountain man and are tryin' to run away."

She walked toward him, smiling, and took his free hand. "I've got ya a birthday present."

"More than this?"

"Yeah, I've been plannin' somethin'." She started walking, and he followed mindlessly behind her, watching the shirt ride up a little with every step.

When she stopped and he looked up, he saw the first car they'd found. He immediately pulled her back to his chest and glanced around.

"I moved it," she admitted.

"When?" He thought back over the last few weeks and couldn't think of when she'd had a free minute.

"When you and Carl went to check snares one day. I snuck off and got it all taken care off."

He felt a surge of anger that she'd run off like that, but tamped it down. She'd obviously worked hard on this surprise. He saw a basket sitting on the trunk and figured she'd brought lunch. Not to mention what she was wearing.

So instead of bitching about what she did, he asked, "How'd ya get away dressed like this?" He fingered the buttons down the front of the shirt.

"I came out here first and changed."

"I'd like to have seen that," he mumbled.

Beth looked down and bit her lip, taking a deep breath. She looked nervous, but he couldn't figure out why. After a couple of seconds, she took his hand and peeked up at him from under her eyelashes, smirking a little. The unsure look was gone from her face, and when she said, "Follow me," and pulled him to the car, it all fell into place.

His heart hammered inside his chest, and for some reason he was more nervous now than he was that first time. This meant something. She was covering up a shitty memory with a good one, and he was a little bit scared he'd fuck it up.

"Put your bow in the front seat," she said, as she opened the back door.

He did as she told him, and when he was done, she turned him so his back was facing the door, and pushed his shoulders back softly. "Go on."

"Naw, girl, like this," he whispered, switching their positions. "We can do this, but it isn't going be about redoin' what happened before. We're gonna make something better." He leaned down and kissed her softly. "That don't mess up your plans too much, does it?"

"Not a single bit."

He leaned his head down and took her lips, soft at first because it was Beth and she deserved soft, then a little harder until she was grasping at the nape of his neck and pushing her hips toward him.

"Ya drive me crazy," he whispered as he pushed her into the car. When she was lying back on the seat, he got in and slammed the door shut. Daryl pulled her to sit then and moved her to straddle his lap. "Want ya like this."

She nodded and kissed him again before grinding down on his dick. Her moan told him that he hit that sweet spot that made her toes fucking curl. He loved to hear those moans. They made him feel ten damn feet tall.

He slid his hand around her hips and pushed under the shirt—he didn't feel anything.

"Damn, girl, ya ain't got a fuckin' thing on under here."

"Nope," she gasped as his fingers met her center. "Wanted to have easy access."

"Show ya easy access," he said as he lifted her up, unbuckled his belt, and pulled his jeans down past his hips. He wasted no time bringing her back forward, lining them up, and dropping her down on his dick.

She cried out his name, and he started pounding into her hard. He gave himself over to all he wanted to do before but hadn't let himself do. Beth went with it fully, tangling her hands into his hair and kissing and licking his neck.

When he hit a spot she liked, she sucked in a sharp breath and threw her head back. He loved it when she got so caught up, so he tilted his hips and went after it. She groaned and pulled on his hair then leaned forward again to take his lips.

Her hair fell over his chest, and he wondered when she'd unbuttoned his shirt but stopping giving a shit when her fingernails raked down his chest as she leaned back again, bracing herself on his knees.

"Don't know why it's so sexy that you're nearly all dressed," she said after a minute. He shook his head because he couldn't even string together a sentence anymore and Beth had started to unbutton her top. Daryl leaned his head back and tilted it to the side as he eyed her tits through the gap in her shirt.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, and Daryl turned his head to the side. Beth was riding him hard, her nails digging into his shoulders, and she wasn't paying a fucking bit of attention to the pervert standing behind the tree to their left.

He warred with himself for a split second before he decided that there wasn't a chance in hell he was making her stop. Instead he pulled her head to his neck and said, "Mark me, girl."

She fucking went to town, grinding down on his lap and sucking on his neck as he pulled his knife from the right hip of his jeans. Beth didn't even notice him move forward a little to grab it. When he sat back, he pointed it toward the tree that Carl peeked out from behind then pointed back behind the car toward the cabin.

The boy's eyes widened in fear, but he seemed locked in place. Daryl put the knife down in the floorboard, lifted Beth so that her back faced the window, and then laid her down on the seat. When he looked back up, Carl was gone.

He was going to be paying that little bastard a visit as soon as he was done here.

Beth wrapped her legs around his waist, and he threw open her shirt and leaned down, kissing her tits and tracing her nipples with his tongue.

A few hard thrusts and a thumb pressing to her clit, and she was clutching his neck and moaning so damn loud in his ear.

He fucking loved to hear his name from her lips when she was coming. It was the best sound in the entire fucking world.

Daryl didn't last much longer, but he didn't make a lot of noise when he came. He always tried to keep his eyes open, but they shut anyway, and his lips were always barely touching hers.

After, he tried to catch his breath, leaning into her neck and moving his dick in and out slowly. He wasn't hard anymore, but he sure as hell didn't want to leave her pussy.

Beth leaned her head back and breathed raggedly. He took that as his cue to move off her, and after looking through the windows for any extra eyes, he rolled them over, almost falling off the damn seat. Beth laughed and grabbed his shoulders, pulling herself up, and he settled her onto his chest.

This was the best birthday he'd ever had.

* * *

She lay across his chest, catching her breath. She was glad he'd moved her like he did. The car was so hot she didn't think she could stand being between him and the seat any longer.

"Want me to get the food?" she asked, tracing her hand over his stomach.

"It's hot as fuck in here. Let's just put on some clothes and eat outside," he said and sat up, taking her with him.

She pushed his hair back from his face and kissed him. "I need to cut your hair again."

"Do it when we get back. I'm free today."

"No more huntin'?"

He sat her on the seat and laughed. "Hell naw. After that? You're gonna be lucky if I don't just sit on my ass the rest of the day."

Beth reached into the front seat and pulled her pack with her other clothes out. "That good, huh?"

She took off her boots and pulled up her jeans. Daryl was looking out he windows; she guessed he was watching for walkers. When she went to shrug off his shirt, he stopped her hands. "Leave that shirt on, girl." His mouth was right near her neck, and she shivered. "Like seein' ya in it."

Beth nodded and buttoned it back up then pulled her boots back on. She got out of the car first and he followed, tugging up his jeans and buttoning his shirt. He looked so good—he was flushed and his lips were swollen and red. He had a hickey coming up on his neck. Beth grinned. It was about time she got him back.

"Ya look damn proud of yourself," he said as he grabbed his bow out of the car.

"I am. I gave ya the best birthday ever." She smirked and added quietly as he approached, "And a very nice hickey."

She watched him bring his hand up to his neck and shake his head. "Fuckin' vampire." He smiled the entire time, though. He'd told her to do it, so she just grinned back and turned for the basket of food.

Beth worked quickly and set out their lunch as Daryl walked around the area, looking for signs of anything.

"We all good here?" she asked when he stopped at a tree for a lot longer than the others.

He popped up and nodded. "Yeah, baby. Just thought I saw some tracks, but they're old."

"You'll get 'em next time," she said and handed him a plastic container.

He hummed and started eating. After a few minutes, he set his bowl aside and reached into his pocket. Daryl cleared his throat and said, "I've been meanin' to give this back to ya, but wanted to wait until we'd talked a little. I figure ya know all the bad shit now, so if ya still want me, I'd like ya to wear it again." He held out her ring with a shaky hand. "I love ya. I want to be with ya as long as I'm livin'. I want ya to keep bein' my best friend, and if we ever run into other people, decent people, I want to be lucky enough to tell 'em that you're my wife." She watched as he let out a deep breath. "You mean everythin' to me, Beth."

Sitting up on her knees, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "Yes." Her chest ached at his small smile. "I think we're goin' into this knowin' good and well who we both are and what we want. I want ya today and tomorrow and next year and as long as we can make it through this world. I need ya with me, and I can't imagine a world where I don't go to sleep with ya every night and wake up with ya in the mornin'."

He looked down and fiddled with the ring. "Ain't I the one that's supposed to be doin' the talkin' durin' all this?"

"Please, like I'd let ya give all the romantic declarations."

Before she could even ask, he slipped the ring on her finger and said, "Ya take it off again, I'ma keep it."

Had she not known the playfulness in his voice, she might have been mad, but she just shrugged. "Don't give me a reason to."

Daryl laughed and kissed her before picking up his food and finishing his lunch. They stayed a little while longer then packed everything up. As much as they wanted to stay, Beth still needed to tend the garden for the day, and she knew Daryl would go check his snares no matter how useless he said he was going to be.

The whole way back to the cabin, he was scanning the ground, looking for tracks. She didn't interrupt him. This was his version of meditating, she imagined, and maybe they'd get lucky and he'd see something worth following.

Sure enough, when they reached the fence, he kissed her cheek, and took off following whatever he'd been tracking since the car.

When she rounded the corner of the house, Maggie was on the porch with Maisie on her lap and Judith playing at her feet.

"Carol's doin' some cannin' and Judith wants her to pick her up, so we came out here."

"Where are the others?" she asked as she sat down beside Judith.

"Haven't seen Carl in a while. Rick and Michonne had some things to take care of and took the truck." Maggie raised her eyebrow, and Beth knew she doubted seriously they were looking for anything.

"Really?"

Maggie shrugged. "Don't know for sure, but I got a feelin' that things between them are closer than they're lettin' on."

"Huh," Beth said quietly. She could see it, though. Michonne was this strong, silent, warrior, but at heart, she was nurturing, and she'd taken to Carl. She was another mother for him since she'd come to be with them. It helped that she didn't know Lori or all the mess that had happened right before she died. Although she imagined Rick would tell her anyway if they were together.

"I feel like I should go gossip with Daryl." She laughed and stacked up cups for Judith to slap down. Immediately, she felt bad for saying it, and when she glanced up at Maggie, she felt even worse.

Maggie smiled sadly and looked down at Maisie. "I wonder if it ever gets easier."

Beth thought for a minute, carefully weighing her words before saying, "I think it gets easier, but not because it hurts less, but because the further ya get away from it, and the bigger she gets, you're not gonna be thinkin' about what ya lost so much as what ya have now." She paused when Maggie sniffled and leaned down to kiss the baby's head. "And Glenn ain't really gone, Maggie. I see him in her, and I see him in the things that you do, and the things that ya say. Him and Daddy, they're up there, watching us and lookin' out for us."

Apparently she'd been too serious because Maggie wiped her tears and shook her head. "I sincerely hope that Daddy didn't watch what ya just did with Daryl."

Beth blushed and looked away. "Well, of course he gives us privacy, too."

Maggie laughed so loud Judith jumped. Then Beth joined her.

Laughing was good for them.

* * *

Daryl caught up with Carl a little ways past the snares.

"Ya were there a while before I saw ya," he said, his voice quiet but with a sharp edge.

"Didn't mean anythin' . I ain't never seen the car before, so I was gonna get close and see if we could use it, and then I saw y'all."

"And ya didn't leave."

Carl toed the ground and looked anywhere but Daryl.

"Ya lucky that I'm feelin' really fuckin' nice right now, otherwise, I'd tell your pops what a fuckin' Peeping Tom ya are. Beth would be so fuckin' embarrassed if she knew what ya saw."

"Maybe if she's embarrassed, y'all shouldn't do it," he muttered as he looked past Daryl.

Daryl shook his head and stepped back. "I get it, man. You're, what, fifteen now? You're curious, wanna get your dick wet. I been there, done that. I feel for ya, but ya ain't gonna be sneakin' around, getting' a peek at her, ya hear me?"

He admired the kid's guts because he acted like he didn't even hear him. When he popped his knife out of its sheath and held it to his side, he did, though. He'd never use it on him, but he did like scaring the shit out of him with it.

"This stays between you and me. I hear one fuckin' word about me threatenin' ya and you bein' an innocent little boy, I'll put that shit on blast, ya got me? Can't do much about what ya jerk off to, but ya ain't gonna get anymore bits of Beth. I'll take a lot of shit when it comes to me, Carl, but not her. Things are different now, but one thing is still the same. Beth's a good woman, and she deserves respect."

"Sorry, okay? And I'm sixteen if ya go by Beth's calendar." He shrugged and went back to looking at the ground.

Daryl sighed and put his knife up. There wasn't getting anywhere with him, he thought.

"Whatever, kid. Just remember what I said."

He walked off, leaving him alone and hoping like hell the kid'd get some sense soon. If not, he'd talk to Michonne before he brought it up to Rick. Carl might not have cared too much what Rick thought, but Michonne would have him cowering in seconds. That woman's word was worth its weight in gold to him.


	25. Chapter 24

Ch. 24

* * *

A few evenings later, Daryl pulled a chair out onto the porch and took a seat while Beth stood between his legs and cut his hair. Everyone else seemed to gather around them, talking and laughing while Carol left the door open so she could make dinner and still be included. Things seemed normal for a little while.

They all watched Rick hold Judith's hands as she walked across the wooden floor to be outside with them and then clapped and told her what a good job she was doing. She was over a year, but she hadn't had a lot of opportunity to practice walking until they'd found the cabin. Now she was moving, and it wouldn't be long before she was running. That was another reason they needed to find a new place.

After Rick helped Judith turn around, Beth started trimming him up. He didn't even bother to keep his hands to himself. She was wearing those damn black shorts again, so he rested his hands on the back of her thighs, rubbing his thumbs up and down.

"You're bein' bad," she whispered.

"Always," he answered with a smirk.

Beth smiled at him and leaned down for a quick kiss. It surprised him, but he liked it.

They hadn't been together since his birthday, and their nightly talks had been tame. They spent most every night talking about looking for another place to live and how things would change. He was ready to be someplace bigger, and so was she, but they both worried. That was natural, he guessed.

On top of that, Carl seemed to be pushing his luck. Since the day he'd talked to him, he'd seen him around Beth a lot more. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered him; they were friends and had been since the farm. Now, though, he was trying to touch her more. Little things like flippin' her ponytail, poking her ribs when he passed, or standing really close behind her and looking over her shoulder.

The more Daryl watched, the more he noticed that Carl was moving and touching her the way he himself did when he was trying to be affectionate but mindful of everyone else. Nobody else would question what Carl was doing, but Daryl did. He knew those moves. They were _his_ fucking moves.

Still, he kept his mouth shut. Beth didn't say anything about it, so he didn't think it bothered her and she wasn't encouraging him. She probably didn't even realize what he thought Carl was doing.

He felt bad for Carl—a little. He was lonely. He wanted a friend or something. Daryl knew he wasn't exactly innocent in his motivations, but he still had a hard time thinking about Carl wanting someone like that. He'd known him when he was just twelve and more concerned about Daryl finding Pop Tarts on a run than if he ever saw a girl naked.

He needed to stop worrying about it. Carl was harmless. But if Beth told Daryl that he was bothering her, he was going straight to Michonne and Rick. Hell, he might even talk to Michonne about it when they went scouting soon.

He let Beth's motions relax him and decided to bring up the trip. "Thinkin' maybe we'll head out in a coupla days and get to lookin' for places. Especially since y'all are gettin' close to bein' done with cannin'."

His eyes were closed, so he didn't see anyone's reaction, but Rick agreed with him pretty fast. "That works for me. Ya got some locations picked out, so I imagine you'll just go down the list?"

"Yeah. I was thinkin' that we'd split up and cover more ground, but it might be best if we stick together. That way if we find a spot, we'll have more than one opinion on it."

"Daryl, are you saying you value my opinion?" Michonne smarted off and laughed when he took his right hand away from Beth's leg and flipped her off. Or he thought it was at least in her direction.

"All done, babe." Beth dusted off his shoulders, and he stood up. He was a head taller than she was, and he liked that. She was so tiny and feminine. He was tempted to pick her up, throw over his shoulder, and take her back to that car, but Rick's voice got his attention.

"Ya mind cuttin' my hair, Beth?"

Daryl knew it was stupid, but that was their thing. He almost said as much when Beth shook her head and pointed to the chair. "Sure. Ya want it as short as Daryl's or a little longer?"

"Just as short. Ya might not believe it, but before all this, I was usually pretty clean-cut."

Beth smiled, going behind the chair as she started on the back of his head and working her way around. Daryl stood there, annoyed and chewing on his thumbnail as he watched.

"Anythin' in your snares earlier," Maggie asked, drawing his attention away from Beth.

"Naw. I'm gonna move 'em soon. Try and see if there's anythin' on the other side of the creek."

Maggie stood, holding out Maisie. "I wanna clean up. Can ya hold her, Uncle Daryl?"

He flushed and nodded. "Ain't gotta call me that," he muttered.

Holding the baby helped take his mind off Beth, and soon, he and Michonne were making faces at the baby, causing her to make a gurgling noise.

"That's a fuckin' laugh," he said, proud of what he'd done.

"Uh-huh." Michonne smiled at him. "Sure it is."

Daryl glanced to his left and saw Rick standing there holding Judith. "Didn't even know ya were done."

"Yeah, well, I need to thank Maggie for distractin' ya because ya were starin' a hole through my damn head," he said quietly while raising an eyebrow at Daryl.

"Didn't do no such thing." He held out Maisie to Michonne and turned to Beth when he saw that she was cutting Carl's hair, too.

"Leave it a little longer than theirs," he said, smiling up at her.

Carl met his eyes and his smiled dimmed, but didn't disappear entirely. When Beth walked around to the front and stood between his legs, his hands moved casually from his knees to hang between them, brushing the front of her thighs.

Daryl bit the inside of his cheek, and knowing everyone else was watching him, he didn't say anything.

Beth backed up a little and kept cutting.

"I might knock his teeth out, though," Daryl mumbled, looking away.

"Ya say somethin'?" Rick asked, looking up from Judith.

"Naw."

Carl's fingers touched her leg again, staying a whole lot longer than before, and he sighed heavily. That boy was testing him.

"I think your hands are wanderin', sir." Beth laughed and stepped to the side.

Daryl saw Rick glanced up then, and they both noticed Carl blush and tug on Beth's shirt, causing it to slip off her shoulder. Daryl rolled his neck and looked away again. She was handling things, he told himself.

"Ya can't keep 'em to yourself, I can't cut ya hair anymore," she said, trying to sound like she was playing, but Daryl knew she wasn't.

She was almost done, and Rick and Michonne were watching Carl carefully out of the corner of their eyes while they played with the babies. Daryl had moved and was leaning against the railing, watching Beth, his arms crossed over his chest.

As she started to step back, Carl's hand slid up high under the back of her shorts and grazed her ass. "Whoa there, chief!" she said, swatting his hand away.

Daryl pushed off the rail, unsnapping his knife. He had Beth out of the way and Carl's hand on the railing with the edge of his blade against the base of his fingers. Daryl could see the line of blood forming but didn't press deeper.

"Ya fuckin' deaf? Done talked to ya about this before."

"Daryl!" Beth reached for his knife, but he blocked her hand.

Rick was at his side a split second later. "Get your hands off 'im."

"He brought this on himself," Daryl muttered and pushed the blade down just a little harder.

"I'm tellin' ya right now to let him go, Daryl." Beth's voice was frantic. "He didn't mean anythin' by it."

Daryl gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached, but he put his knife away and backed up. Carl had turned pale as a fucking ghost, his hand cradled to his chest.

"Ya touch him again, Daryl, and you and me are gonna have a problem. He's just a kid," Rick said as he looked at Carl's hand. "Beth had it under control."

"Are ya serious with me right now? That little mothafucker was watchin' us the other day when we went off together. He knows what he's doin'."

Beth flushed red and palmed her cheeks. "I'm just gonna go inside."

She moved past Carol, who'd come out because of all the noise, and shut the door behind her. Carol looked over everyone and just ducked back into the cabin, probably going to talk to Beth. When she was gone, that left him, Rick, and Michonne staring down at Carl.

"Why would you do that to her?" Michonne asked, looking down at him with concern. "It's not like you to treat someone with so much disrespect."

"Carl, ya know we don't stand for that," Rick said quietly. "Ya ain't ever seen that kinda stuff done before."

"God, I wasn't gonna do anythin' else," Carl said, wiggling his hand.

"But you did it again after she said to stop," Michonne said, kneeling down to look him in the eye.

"Ya know what?" Daryl said, frustrated by all the talking and lack of action that was happening. "Y'all deal with his shit." He looked Carl in the eye and pointed his finger at him. "It happens again and not even your daddy's gonna be able to save your ass from a beatin'."

Daryl went inside and watched as Beth fidgeted with some canning supplies, looking away quickly when she caught his eye.

"Were ya gonna tell me?"

"No," he answered honestly.

Carol pretended to ignore them as she set about putting food in bowls.

"Why not?" Beth asked quietly. "That's so embarrassin', Daryl."

Moving closer, he leaned down to whisper against her cheek. "'Cause I didn't want ya to feel what you're feelin' now. I thought I handled it, but I guess I was wrong."

Beth gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my God, that's why ya moved me from—"

"Yeah." Daryl cut her off before she could finish, and Carol laughed uncomfortably.

"I don't think I can even look him in the eye anymore. He didn't see anythin', did he?"

Daryl shook his head. "Naw."

She nodded and backed away from him, walking over to Carol. "I'm gonna try and forget this happened. Do you need any help at all, Carol?"

"Why don't you stir for me while I clean out this pot?"

"Thank you," Beth whispered and went to work.

A few minutes later, the others came inside with the babies, and Maggie came back from cleaning up. He imagined that Beth would fill her in later, especially since dinner was tense as hell.

After everyone finished eating, and Maggie started on the dishes with some water from the creek, Rick stood up from the table and motioned for Carl to follow him. "Daryl, ya come, too."

Beth grabbed his arm before he could stand up and whispered into his ear, "Don't do anythin' ya might regret."

"I wouldn't regret a damn thing," he said, meeting her eyes. Beth sighed and let him go. Maybe he was overreacting, but he'd never had something of his own before, and he wasn't about to let her get felt up just because Carl was a horny teenager and that's just what boys did. Fuck that shit.

Rick stalked toward the back of the cabin, and Daryl took off behind him with Carl lagging behind.

"We're gonna sort this shit out," Rick said quietly. "Ain't gonna worry about ya kickin' the shit outta Carl for him bein' a teenage boy."

Daryl stood toe-to-toe with his friend. "Ain't apologizin' for shit that has to do with Beth."

"You're gonna calm your ass down is what you're gonna do," he said quickly. "Ya listen up; she can handle herself, ya let her. I'll take care of my kid. He ain't gonna do this again. Do ya trust me enough to do that?"

Daryl ground his teeth but nodded after a few seconds.

"Good. Ya ain't gonna have to worry about this again."

Carl stood with his back to the wall, looking every bit the surly teenager. Rick walked toward him and pushed him forward.

"Sorry. Won't happen again," he muttered and looked away.

"He'll apologize to Beth, too," Rick added, clearly disappointed in how his son had just acted.

Daryl nodded then spoke quietly. "I taught her all the shit I know, Carl. Ya try and fuck with her, and she'll cut your damn balls off."

Rick sighed and shook his head. Daryl just held his hands up. "What? Ya said Beth could handle herself. Just makin' sure he knows what he's dealin' with 'cause he sure as shit ain't sorry. He's just sorry he got fuckin' caught." Daryl snorted and started back toward the porch. "Been there, too, Carl."

* * *

Two days later, he and Michonne loaded into the truck with the atlas and set out to find a new home. Daryl didn't really want to leave, but she knew he didn't have a choice.

Beth kissed him good-bye and told him to be safe. He told her he would, and then he was gone.

She sat on the porch for a while, looking down the path they'd driven. She prayed they'd find someplace and that they'd be back soon. Judging by the look on Daryl's face as he got in the car, he wanted the exact same thing.

Beth knew she'd pass the days by staying as busy as possible. She'd take care of the babies, can their garden, cook—anything to keep her mind off where Daryl was and what he was doing or what he was running from.

It had taken less than a year for him to become the biggest, best part of her life.

Maggie sat down beside her and took her hand.

"He's a survivor. Ain't nothin' keepin' him from gettin' back here."

"I know. It's just impossible not to worry." Beth squeezed Maggie's hand. "I hope they find somethin', too. Not that I don't like sharing a room with ya again, but a little privacy would be nice."

"Yeah, I can't imagine the backseat of a car, with no air conditioning, in this heat makes ya wanna get busy too often."

Beth made a noise in her throat and shook her head. "That was one time. You're like a dog with a bone."

"I could make a completely terrible joke about Daryl's bone, but I'll save it for later." Maggie laughed as Beth pushed her shoulder. "What? I didn't say anything yet!"

"But you're thinkin' it," Beth said and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I gotta go take care of our food supply."

"While thinking about what Daryl can supply ya!"

"Good Lord," Beth muttered and blushed. "You're as bad as he is sometimes."

At that, Maggie leaned against the rail and giggled until Beth couldn't hear her anymore. She lived with a bunch of adults who became teenagers when anything sexual was mentioned. She was guilty, too, but she preferred to be on the giving end of the statements instead of the blushing end.

She and Carol had one more row of tomatoes to go before they were all done, and she was so happy about that. Next year, they'd have Maggie helping and hopefully a more secure place, so it would easier, but right now, gardening and canning were on her "never again" list.

At least an hour had passed with her picking ripe tomatoes and pulling weeds that refused to die when a shadow fell over her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Carl standing behind her with his hands in his pockets.

"Ya need help?"

It was the first time he'd talked to her since she cut his hair. She wasn't too sure what he was up to but figured it would be worth a shot to make things easier between everyone.

"Sure. Just pull out these." She held up a weed. "We still have some tomatoes that aren't ripe, but we'll just eat those instead of cannin' 'em."

He nodded and went to work beside her. It took him several minutes before he started talking, but when he did, it was like a dam had burst.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to make ya uncomfortable, and I shoulda backed off when ya were givin' me a haircut. That was just wrong of me, and I was thinkin' that I was gonna go through this world and I'd never be with a girl. It's stupid, and I ain't tellin' ya so ya feel sorry for me—not that ya would or that ya'd feel like ya had to help me out with that—but so ya know what I was thinkin'."

Beth raised a brow and pursed her lips. "Thank ya for sayin' that. I'm glad to know ya don't expect me to jump ya now that I know your thoughts."

Carl groaned and shook his head. "I just meant I shoulda been more considerate. Ya told me to stop, and I kept goin'. I was bein' a bit of an asshole."

"Ya were, but I'm fine. As much as ya don't like to hear it or don't think it's the truth, I can handle ya."

Carl just nodded and went to pulling weeds. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "So, you and Daryl are pretty serious?"

"Yeah, we are," she said without looking up. "Ya still haven't apologized for peepin' on us."

He paused in picking and froze. "It was an accident," he whispered. "The car hadn't been there before. I just went to look and see if we could use anythin'."

"Then ya stayed for the show?" she asked, facing him fully.

He had the decency to look ashamed and turned away. "I'm sorry. That was a private moment, I guess."

Beth laughed. "Ya think? I'm not into people watchin', Carl," she said jokingly, but he just looked more and more embarrassed. She had to remember that she couldn't talk to him like she talked to Daryl—not that she wanted to, but sometimes things just came out. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." She cleared her throat and held out her hand. "I accept your apology. I think we can move on from here as long as ya don't try anythin' else. I make no promises for what Daryl will do to ya otherwise."

Carl took her hand and shook. "Deal." He stood up and dusted off his jeans. "Thank ya for the haircut, by the way. I really needed it."

She smiled. "Anytime, Carl."

He waved awkwardly and went back around to the front of the cabin. She'd made her peace with him, but she knew Daryl would be a harder sell. For a moment, she laughed at the silliness of the whole situation. She'd had a run-in with Carol because of Daryl, and then he'd almost cut off Carl's fingers because of her.

Who would have thought they'd have so much competition when they met the person they were meant for?

Beth finished with the garden and looked around at the empty space that she and Carol had cleared and felt proud. She might not have many fighting skills, but she could sure feed her people.

As she went into the cabin that night for the first time in a long time without Daryl and watched Rick go out and checked the fence, she had to wipe away a tear.

Things were going to be okay. She just had to wait it out.


	26. Chapter 25

Ch. 25

* * *

Daryl was losing his fucking patience.

They'd been on the road for a week and half, and all the places he'd marked on their atlas had been no good. Either there was no place livable left in the area or way too many fucking walkers to make it worthwhile.

He was starting to think they'd have to look further away—maybe go into Alabama or up north. That was a last resort, though.

"Where to now, captain?" Michonne asked as she started up the truck. They'd been sleeping in it the last couple of nights in case they needed to make a fast getaway.

"Head south. There's a small town called Dune, and I remember hearin' people talk about some crazy ol' codger that built a mansion in the forest near it."

"And just who are these 'people' who gave you this bit of information?" she asked as she turned down the road.

"The people I used to hang around weren't the most sober. Could be another fuckin' bust, but it's all we got."

"All right." She didn't sound convinced, but why would she? This was the last place on their original list, and it was a shot in the dark. He wasn't even about to mention that the man he'd heard the story from had been completely wasted on shine and pills. Instead, he pulled out their atlas and began looking for other places they could go after this one.

* * *

"I'll be damned," Michonne said the following morning as they walked up to a six-foot-tall cement barricade with a twelve-foot-tall hurricane fence topped with barbed wire behind it.

They'd been walking for a few hours and were about ready head back when he spotted the roof in distance.

"Well, shit, I guess he was right," he whispered, moving toward the gate. It was locked, of course, and he didn't want to break in and make it any less sturdy if there wasn't anyone here. This could be theirs. Beth would be safe here. The babies could play outside here and not worry.

He tried not to get his hopes up, though. It had been along time since the world went to hell, and chances were, this place already had people.

"What y'all want?" a man called from the porch.

Daryl looked him over. He had to be nearing eighty, but he was holding a shotgun like he wouldn't get knocked on his ass by the kickback.

"We don't want no trouble," he hollered back. They hadn't seen any walker prints, so he didn't think being too quiet was necessary right now.

The old man stepped off the porch and approached the gate. He didn't look crazy, but Michonne pulled her sword anyway.

"Ain't gonna hurt y'all," the old man said, eyeing her katana. "Just can't hear all that well, is all. Now what'd ya say, boy?"

Daryl looked over at Michonne and then back to the man. "Name's Daryl Dixon. This is Michonne. We were sent out by our group to try and find a safer place to live."

"Oh. Well, this is pretty safe, I'd imagine. Ain't had anybody up this way in a long time. We got a few of those things every once in a while, but no people. I thought we were the only ones left."

"We?" Michonne asked, and Daryl could hear the defeat in her voice. He felt it, too.

"Me and my wife." He gestured back toward the house. "She died a few months ago, though. I got her locked up in the top bedroom. Didn't know she'd turn like that. On the news it said not to get bit, ya know? I can't find it in me to kill her, so I just keep the door locked. She don't move around much anymore, so I figure she must be getting weak from not having anything to eat.

"Now I love my wife, but I ain't about to start feedin' her people or animals. She ain't really there anyway. I was holding her hand when she passed. I know she's gone on to her reward."

Daryl could feel Michonne's eyes on him, and he imagined her face was carefully blank just like his.

"Sorry for your loss, sir," he said sincerely. "Ya wouldn't mind givin' us a place to rest for a while, would ya?"

The old man looked them both up and down. "Ya ain't gonna try and kill me, are ya?"

Michonne shook her head. "No, sir. We're good people. We've just been on the road for a while, looking for shelter, is all. We have group back in a small cabin. There are two babies there that need safety."

The old man nodded. "I'm Walter Jenkins, by the way. I'll let y'all in, and we can go inside and talk."

He pulled some keys from his pocket, unlocked the hurricane fence, and then did the same for the gate on the front fence.

"If you don't mind me asking, why'd you build a place like this? It's pretty secure for just a home," Michonne asked as she passed by him.

"Oh, we didn't put the fence up until the first cases of that sickness came on the internet."

Daryl quirked an eyebrow at the man as he locked everything back up. "The internet?"

Walter turned and put the keys back in his pocket. "Oh yes. Cynthia, my wife, she learned all about that stuff. She became a bit of a conspiracy theorist, I guess ya'd say. She saved us, though. She read about some people gettin' sick in London and called Jeremy Henderson that minute, and he started building the fences. It took him about two weeks for the hurricane fence and three weeks for the cement one.

"By the time they were done, we went shopping and stocked up on all kinds of things. She's lucky that we'd saved so much because she drained the bank account. I would complain, and she'd just put up stuff in the closets and say that I'd be glad she was preparin'." He walked up the driveway, continuing on. "I thought she'd lost her mind, but then the news started reportin' what she'd been tellin' me from the computer. We watched it all happen from the livin' room. It was unbelievable."

"Wow," Michonne whispered, shaking her head. "So you're set here? You don't have any family that tried to come for you?"

Walter shook his head. "We couldn't have kids. Tried for years before we just realized it wasn't goin' to happen for us. Thought about adoptin', but we were so old by then that no one wanted to give us a baby. So we just saved our money and built this house. We were gonna will everythin' to the First Baptist Church in Dune when we died, but that's not gonna happen now."

Daryl stood amazed when he walked in the front door of the house. It had remained untouched by the destruction of the outside world, and he sighed. "It's a beautiful place," he mumbled as he followed Walter further inside.

"Do you think he's crazy?" Michonne asked quietly.

"Naw, I think he's lonely," Daryl whispered back.

She nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table. "Why such a big house?"

"Oh, well, when we built it, we knew we were gonna will it away when we died, so we built it really big so that they could do something with it. We put in our will that we'd like it to be a children's home or church retreat."

"How many rooms ya got?" Daryl asked as he scratched the surface of the table with this thumbnail.

"We have twenty-three rooms and ten bathrooms. Six of the bathrooms are attached to bedrooms. The other four are big stand-alone bathrooms. It was a lot to clean, so we turned off the water to all but the one in our bedroom and the one downstairs."

"Makes sense," Michonne said and smiled. "It's beautiful, and your heart was certainly in the right place when you built it."

"Thank ya. It was mostly Cynthia, though."

They sat quietly for a little while before Walter said, "What about your group, son?"

Daryl sat up a little straighter as he spoke. "There's seven adults and two babies. We were bigger before, but we got separated and found each other a few months ago."

"Those babies either of y'alls?" he asked, looking at Michonne.

"No, sir. I lost my son soon after this all happened." Daryl felt his eyes widen at her revelation. "One of them belongs to a man in our group. He has a teenage son, too. His wife died in childbirth a little over a year ago. The other baby is only about three months old. Her mother is Daryl's sister-in-law. She's doing good, but her husband was killed a few weeks before the baby was born, so she's still working through that."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He looked at Daryl. "So, ya gotta wife?"

"Yes, sir. Her name's Beth."

"That's a nice name." He turned to Michonne. "Ya still got your husband?"

Michonne shook her head. "He was never my husband, and we didn't part on such good terms."

"I'm sorry about that, too."

"No reason for you to be sorry. He made his decisions."

"Here, let me get y'all something to eat." Walter stood and walked over to the cabinets.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Michonne whispered, leaning close to Daryl.

"Yeah," he answered softly. "He's good people. I don't know if he'll let us stay, though."

"The man was going to donate his house to a church. He built it for that purpose. I think we have a shot." She pushed his shoulder. "Go talk to him and tell him about Beth. Tell him how you want her to be safe and this house would do that."

"I don't talk well."

"You can."

Daryl sighed, stood up, and walked across the room to the counter. "Ya need any help, sir?"

"Oh, no. Just making some soup." He kept stirring and said, "What are ya thinkin'?"

Daryl stood quietly for several seconds before he said, "I think we'd fit well here with ya. We could care for ya, and I can hunt. My wife and another lady in our group garden and can food. We can offer ya protection if walkers show up."

"Huh." He nodded and smiled. "Tell me what you're really thinkin'."

Daryl looked at Michonne, and she nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "This place would save our lives. We could let the kids play outside. Judith would actually learn to walk instead of havin' her daddy hold her hands and guide her. Maisie, my niece, she'd grow up in a place that's bright and happy. Maybe one day me and Beth'll have kids, and they'd be safe here."

Walter looked over at Daryl. His pale blue eyes were glassy with tears, and Daryl scanned the worn lines of his face.

"I'll think about it for a little bit. Why don't y'all look around? Make sure this place is all ya think it is. Just don't go to the last bedroom on the right because that's where Cynthia is."

It took them damn near two hours to search the entire house. They even went into the basement, which was half filled with shit Mrs. Jenkins had bought before. He and Michonne talked about everything—repeatedly—as they checked rooms and closets. They hadn't had decent luck in a while, so they both were on guard, waiting for something or someone to pop up and try to kill them.

When they made it back to the kitchen, Walter was sitting on the patio, looking out over the backyard.

"We'll ask him about the lights and water," Michonne said then walked out the door.

Daryl followed, chewing on him thumbnail and praying that he had his own well or something. They knew he had a generator because the clock on the wall was still moving and the electric stove had worked.

"Excuse me, Mr. Jenkins?" Michonne spoke softly, acting as if she was afraid to scare him.

"Oh, no, call me Walter, please."

She smiled and sat down beside him. "Walter, what do you do for water here? Electricity?"

He nodded and pointed to a little building near the fence. "That's got the well in it. And if ya look on the roof..." He pointed up. "Cynthia made me put in solar panels right after she read that stuff. She didn't like the dark and said that as soon as it got bad here, the power grids would fail. She was right, of course."

"Your wife sounds like a special lady."

"She was. She was little crazy, but I guess I can't say much since we have a fortress now, and everythin' really did go to hell."

"I guess it might be too much to ask if you have hot water?" Michonne asked with a bit of a laugh in her voice.

Walter smiled and snorted. "I wouldn't call it hot, but it passes for warm year round."

"I might hide out in one of those empty rooms even if you decide we can't stay just for a warm shower, Walter." She nudged his shoulder with hers, and he laughed softly.

They fell into silence, and Daryl fidgeted with his bow strap. He wondered why he laughed off her comment instead of just saying they could stay, and he felt his impatience rise. "So, can we stay?"

Walter looked up at him for a moment and then nodded. "I only got one thing to ask of ya. I'd like ya to take care of Cynthia so I can give her a proper burial, and when my time comes, I'd like for ya to treat me with just as much dignity and lay me to rest beside her."

"Ya have my word, sir," Daryl said and held out his hand.

* * *

"How long until y'all think until you'll be back here?" he asked later as he walked them to the gate.

"Two days," Daryl said surely.

"Thank you, Walter. You saved our lives," Michonne added quietly.

He shook his head. "Nah, this place was always meant to help folks. What kind of man would I be if I turned ya away?"

Michonne said and hugged him tightly. "You're an amazing man."

Daryl could swear the old man blushed a little as she let him go. "Y'all be safe and see ya soon."

* * *

As Beth woke up to another day without Daryl, she sighed heavily.

He told her he'd be back in two weeks at the latest, even if they hadn't found anything. She had about three days left and was hoping he'd come home with good news.

Since the garden was harvested and everything had been canned and put away, none of them had much to do. Rick and Carl checked the fence twice a day and Daryl's snares in the afternoon.

Carol, Maggie and Beth watched the girls and started to pack up things they wouldn't need right away. The latter took all of an afternoon.

Today, Beth was going to wash clothes with Carol while Maggie stayed in the cabin.

"You think they found a place?" Carol asked as she wrung out one of Maisie's onesies.

"I hope they did," she answered. "If not, they'll have to go farther."

Carol nodded and went back to work. They both were thinking about what that might mean for them. For Beth it meant a lonely winter, but for Carol it meant leaving the state where her daughter was laid to rest.

She began to hum and Carol asked her to sing a favorite song of hers. Washing passed quickly after that.

When they finished, Beth looked down at the basket, amazed that nearly everything they washed was Judith's or Maisie's. They dirtied up clothes faster than you could put them on them.

She hauled the clothes back to the cabin and hung them up on the line as Carol went inside to grab some extra clothes pins. The door to the cabin had barely clicked shut when she heard the truck. Beth turned quickly and when it came into view, she let out a relieved sigh and held her hands to her chest.

By the time Daryl stopped the truck and got out, she'd cleared the fence, ran to him, and jumped into his arms.

She kissed him, tangling her fingers in his hair.

"Good news?" she asked when she pulled away.

"Yeah. Really good news," he answered, setting her back on her feet.

"Come on then! Rick and Carl should be back soon. They went to check the snares."

Daryl and Michonne nodded and followed her inside. Everyone was happy to see them—and with good reason, considering Daryl said they'd found a place. When Rick and Carl threw open the door a few minutes later, Daryl stood up and smiled.

"We found a good one."

She sat and listened as Michonne told them about Mr. Walter Jenkins and his mansion in the woods. She couldn't believe what she heard, and it was apparent she wasn't alone in her feelings.

"I'd like to meet this man before we all go down there. Y'all said two days? Take me there tomorrow," Rick said. "That way he won't be expectin' us and maybe we can catch him if somethin's off."

"He checks out." Daryl spoke with force, gripping her hand. "Looked over his entire fuckin' house. It's safe."

"I wanna go before we bring everyone else," he repeated, staring Daryl down. "Ain't sayin' y'all are wrong, just wanna make sure."

"Whatever." Daryl shrugged, clearly offended.

"I'll go with y'all," Beth said and tugged Daryl's hand until he looked at her. "I think it would put him at ease if he sees a kind face."

"Ya sayin' my face ain't kind?" he asked, flicking her hair off her shoulder.

She laughed and shook her head. "Ya know what I mean."

* * *

He'd slept better than he had in days, and when he woke up the next morning with Beth in his arms, he felt like a new man.

Daryl wasn't going to pretend that having Rick question their find wasn't bothering him, but after he and Beth talked last evening, he realized that he'd want to do the same thing if the roles were reversed.

It wasn't that Rick thought he was wrong, he just really didn't want to put his children there before he checked things out himself. Daryl respected that.

The sun was just starting to rise when they piled into the truck and headed for Dune. The ride was mostly silent with Beth leaning against his shoulder, sleeping still. Rick spent most of the time looking out the side window, but occasionally he'd ask Daryl a question about the house or the old man.

Instead of walking to the gate like he and Michonne had, he drove the truck straight up to it. It helped that there was a driveway to follow, and had they walked a different way the day before, they wouldn't have had such a hard walk up the hill.

"Oh, wow," Beth whispered in awe at the fences and house.

The stood outside the gate, watching the front door, and soon Walter popped out with his shotgun.

"Daryl?" he yelled and started down the drive. "Why ya back?"

He didn't bother to respond until the man was unlocking the gate. "This here's Rick Grimes. He just wanted to see the place first, ya know?"

Walter nodded. "I can understand that." He held out his hand. "Walter Jenkins."

Rick shook it and gave him a tight smile. "Rick."

"And who are you?" Walter asked, turning to Beth.

She smiled brightly and took his hand. "Beth Dixon. It's great to meet you, Mr. Jenkins."

Daryl's fingers twitched on the back of her shirt as she moved forward, and his heart sped up. It never crossed his mind that she'd introduce herself like that, but it made him proud as hell to hear it roll off her lips.

"Daryl mentioned ya yesterday. Didn't say that you were so beautiful, though." Walter winked and led her toward the house.

He couldn't even say anything smart back to the man because his mind had the words _Beth Dixon_ on repeat for him. It took him another second before he walked after them and Rick. He took care to shut the gates behind him.

Once he was inside, he heard Beth telling Walter about Maisie and Judith and how this would just be a wonderful place for them. She then went on to tell him about her father passing, without going into detail, and he and Rick looked around the bottom floor of the house.

After his inspection, Rick looked over and nodded at Daryl. "I think I'll go talk to him for a bit, and then we'll go get everyone and pack up."

Rick sighed and looked through the kitchen door at Walter.

Beth joined Daryl a couple of minutes later, and he took her on a tour of the house. He pointed out the well and the solar panels and watched as she picked out a bedroom on the second floor for them. It had a bathroom attached and she turned the tap and smiled when warmish water fell over her fingers.

"I can't believe this. It feels like a dream," she whispered, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah. Sorta waitin' for the bottom to fall out," he admitted, and she walked toward him and loosely wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Maybe it already has, ya know? This is our break. The prison—we thought that was it, but we didn't find sanctuary until the cabin. And now this? This is the future. We can have a life here, Daryl."

He looked at the bathroom and the decent-sized bedroom with the wide-open windows and fireplace and allowed himself to hope that it was finally true.


	27. Chapter 26

Ch. 26

* * *

When they got back to the cabin, Rick told the group to start packing stuff into the truck and SUV. There was a moment of silence before everyone jumped into action. Well, everyone except Maggie, who stayed planted on the edge of the bed.

Maggie held Maisie close to her chest and started to cry. Beth watched for a second before she went to comfort her. She knew this would be emotional for her. Some many things had happened to her over the last few months here. Her daughter had been born here, she'd come to grips with Glenn's death a little better sitting on this bed. It was the first place she'd felt a little safe since the prison fell.

"This is going to be such a good thing for us," Beth whispered as tears clouded her vision. "I'ma miss this place, too. It's been such a blessin' to us."

Maggie nodded and tried to smile. "It just feels like I keep getting' further away from him. Like every step I take, no matter how small, puts this huge gap between us. How do I keep his memory alive for her? How will she know her father if I don't even have a picture of him?"

"She'll know him because we'll tell her every day about him, Maggie. And not just how sweet and kind he was. Daryl will no doubt tell her plenty of inappropriate stories about how her daddy was a fuckin' badass. She'll get a full picture of Glenn, and she will be so proud to have him as her father."

"I can't believe ya just said that word." Maggie laughed quietly and wiped her eyes. "Never heard ya curse like that before."

"Daryl's a bad influence," she responded, looking over to where he was picking up a Tupperware box of supplies.

"He's good for ya, too," Maggie said. "You're good for him. I never thought I'd be callin' Daryl Dixon my brother-in-law."

Beth squeezed her hand and smiled. "I never thought I'd see the day where I had a husband, so I guess there are still plenty of surprises left for us."

"Only good ones, though," Maggie whispered and kissed Maisie's head.

"Yeah, only good ones."

* * *

The SUV was packed down and both car seats were strapped in according to the directions. Michonne checked them and nodded. "You did good, Daryl."

He waited until they were alone then asked quietly, "Ya had a son?"

"Yes," she said, looking over at him. "He was three, and his name was André."

"I'm sorry." He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

After a few beats of silence, she asked, "No more questions?"

Daryl shook his head. "Naw, ya lost someone. Don't matter how it happened. It's a part of ya now. And he was your baby boy. Can't imagine ya wanna talk about how it happened. If ya wanna tell me somthin' good, though, like what his first word was or how he acted when ya gave him a present, I'd be happy to listen."

When he glanced back at her, her eyes were glassy and she smiled at him. "When I first met you, I wasn't really sure what to make of you, but I like you, Daryl. You're a good man." She sighed and looked away. "He was terrified of Santa Claus and slapped the mall Santa when we took him when he was two."

Daryl barked out a laugh and shook his head.

"He was such a little ham." Michonne turned and started to walk away but stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "Thank you for that, Daryl. For so long, I've only felt the pain, and I forgot the good."

He was uncomfortable with her stare and words, so he nodded and went back to checking the car seats.

There was a list of all things they needed to get down that day, and he went through it in his mind. All that was left was to pack up the dinner bowls after supper. They decided to leave the cots in case someone else came through later on.

He laid his hands on the side of the truck and looked over the vehicles. This time tomorrow, they'd be in a new home. That thought made him happy—and scared. Mostly happy, though. He prayed it would be a lasting home.

Once he was back inside the fence, his hands gripped his bow strap and he looked over the yard, the feelings in him still battling to be felt.

He closed his eyes, thinking about all that had happened inside this little fence, and was a little overwhelmed. More than any place in his life, this had been a home for him. He'd experienced love for the first time here. And he'd seen just how bad the world had gotten, too.

He'd miss it, but he knew this place was just a resting point—he'd always known. Now, they were moving along, and maybe another couple or group would find this place and it would protect and heal them they way it had Daryl and the others.

"Ya look like you're thinkin' hard about somethin'." Beth's voice floated on the breeze, and he opened his eyes to see her on the steps of the porch. Her hair was down again, and she was wearing those damn shorts and boots with a tank top.

She looked like a fucking angel.

"Someone told me I get lost up here sometimes." He pointed to his temple. "She mighta been on to somethin'."

"I'm sure she was. Women are usually right."

Daryl smirked and walked toward the steps. The sun would be setting soon, so he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.

"Ya gotta come check the fence with me."

He held her hand the entire time, and when they made it to the back of the cabin, he pulled her into his lap and they whispered quietly back and forth.

"Ya excited?"

"Yes, but it's a little sad. This has sorta been our first home."

He tickled her side. "As an old married couple?"

"As a couple, in general."

"Well, just so ya know, I'm a pretty damn good tracker. I can find it again."

She snorted and laid her head against his chest.

They stayed that way, alone in the silence, until the sun had set and darkness surrounded them. He helped her up and led her back to the porch, letting her go in first. The others were eating or sitting on their cots. He watched them talk excitedly back and forth about the house and how it was so pretty.

Beth called dibs on the room she'd seen today, and no one argued. There was plenty of room.

No one paid much attention to him since he didn't talk much anyway, so that night, he got to watch his family and be proud that he helped them find someplace they could be safe in. Hopefully, for a good, long while.

* * *

He woke up in the middle of the night and looked around, finally seeing Beth sitting at the table, writing in her notebook. She smiled, finished what she was doing, and then closed it before walking back to him.

"Whatcha doin', woman?"

"Just writin'."

She settled back against him, and he kissed her shoulder and fell back to sleep nearly as quickly as he woke up.

* * *

The others had left a couple of minutes earlier, but Beth had insisted they stay and say good-bye to the cabin alone.

He didn't see the problem, and he liked the idea of riding his bike with her to Dune. It had been awhile since he'd gotten to take it out.

"I need ya to help me with somethin'." She held up a hammer and two nails. He took them from her, and she opened her notebook and removed a sheet of paper. "I want ya to put this on the back of the door."

"Okay." He took it and hammered it in without reading it. He was too afraid of what he'd see on the page.

"Read it?" she asked quietly.

Daryl sighed and focused on the page.

_We were here, and we lived. _

_Daryl &amp; Beth (Greene) Dixon_

_Rick, Carl, &amp; Judith Grimes _

_Maggie (Greene) &amp; Maisie Rhee_

_Carol Peletier _

_Michonne_

_In remembrance of:_

_Hershel Greene_

_Lori Grimes_

_Glenn Rhee_

_Sophia Peletier_

_Merle Dixon _

_And countless others we have lost along the way. You are loved still. _

Daryl ran his fingers over the names of those who had died, deciding to keep André to himself, and he cleared his throat. "This is really nice, Beth."

"Ya think so?" She picked up her notebook and walked toward him. "I was afraid for the others to see it, but I want to leave our mark here for others to see."

Daryl wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. "This is perfect."

She walked to the table, put her notebook in her pack, and then opened the door. "Let's get outta here."

They stopped once to look back at the cabin as they pushed the bike through the woods, and Daryl kissed her softly. "I love ya. Thank you."

"I love ya, too, babe."

* * *

That night after everyone had settled into their new rooms, Daryl and Rick sat in the living room, talking quietly.

"Early tomorrow, ya think?" Daryl asked, peeking into the kitchen to make sure Walter couldn't hear them.

"Yeah." Rick paused. "Maybe we should dig the hole first, ya know? That way she ain't gotta sit out there in the sun."

Daryl nodded. "I can get started on it as soon as the sun's up. Maybe he won't notice."

"He told ya he wants it outside the fence?

"Yeah. He pointed it out to me on that first day before we left."

Rick nodded and stood up. "We'll handle it the best way we can."

Daryl watched as Rick went into the kitchen, told Walter good-night, and headed up the stairs. He, Carl, and Judith were all sharing a room right now, but Carl would probably get his own soon. He was old enough, but Rick was still nervous about the place and probably would be for a couple of weeks.

Maggie and Maisie shared the room across from Daryl and Beth, and Carol took the room next door. Michonne had chosen the bedroom across from where Cynthia was locked in. Daryl figured she wouldn't sleep well at all because she'd be listening in case Cynthia somehow got out. Daryl just planned on locking his bedroom door and knew the others were doing the same.

After a few minutes in the quiet, he stood and walked into the kitchen where Walter sat and knocked on the doorframe.

"Gonna head to bed."

"I imagine that I'll go, too. First time I had a big meal in a while. Been heating up soup mostly."

"Well, Beth and Carol'll cook for ya whenever they get a chance. They like carin' for folks."

Walter stood slowly and turned to face him. "I'm real glad ya found us here, Daryl. Think things will be a lot better with people in the house."

"Thank ya for lettin' us stay."

Walter nodded and walked slowly to the small bedroom down the hall. His knees had gotten too bad to go up and down the stairs in the months since Cynthia's death, he'd said, so he'd taken a guest room downstairs. Daryl figured a lot of it had to do with not being able to hear his wife move around in her new form, but he didn't say that.

When he got to his room a couple of minutes later, Beth wasn't there, and he knew she was probably still helping Maggie with the baby. He went through his pack and pulled out some clean clothes then walked into the bathroom, ready to have a shower that didn't make his balls shrivel up for the first time in months.

He heard her long before she slipped her arms around his waist, but he didn't let on. Instead, he waited patiently, savoring that moment when her skin touched his.

"Ya know, this is pretty nice," she whispered. "I ain't never been in the shower with ya before."

"I ain't never shared a shower before at all," he murmured, slipping his hand over hers.

"Ummm, good to know," she whispered and kissed one of the scars on his back.

A few months ago? He'd have flinched and gotten out of the shower as soon as possible. A few years ago? He'd have never let a woman see his back at all. Now? Beth's lips and soft breath against his back as she pressed another kiss to another scar made him shiver for all the right reasons.

"I have the best feelin' about this place," she whispered.

"Me, too, girl." He turned in her arms and leaned down, taking her lips with his. Soon, they moved from the shower to the bed, making sure to keep quiet so the others wouldn't hear. Afterward, as she lay beside him, curled into his side, sleeping soundly, he let himself feel the relief he'd been holding at bay.

He was home.


	28. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

**Two years later**

Daryl was fucking worn out. Earlier that day, he and Rick had gone out on a run to find some hardware supplies, but ended up getting chased by a damn herd of walkers they'd stumbled across.

When they made it back to their truck, the damn thing wouldn't start, so they had to find a different car that actually worked, double back, pick up all the supplies they'd dropped, and then head home. It should have been a quick trip, with them getting back before lunch, but they didn't pull up to the gate until dark.

Once he saw that Beth wasn't in the living room with the others, he ate the food that she'd left on the counter and started upstairs.

Beth had been having a hard time over the past few months, and he wasn't too sure what to do about it. She wanted a baby, but no matter how often they did it without any protection, he never knocked her up. She felt like something was wrong with her, and that was why nothing was taking, but he felt like he was failing, too.

Maybe he was too old, or some the drugs he'd taken when he was younger had fucked him up? If he said that, though, she'd start to feel worse and say she was being selfish and just thinking of herself or some shit.

On top of all that, for the past few weeks, he hadn't been around during the day, and that was causing issues between them. The simple explanation was that since it had turned cooler, he tried to hunt most days, but Beth had been taking it the wrong way completely. Instead of seeing it as him trying to bring her good meals, she said he was distancing himself from her, and she'd gone on rants about how he didn't want her anymore because she was defective.

She'd lost her damn mind, he figured.

He took a steeling breath before he turned the knob to their room. He heard her crying before he saw her, and he leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes for a moment. Crying was never a good thing. He'd been gone all day, too, so she'd probably made up some insane story about how he'd run off with some bitch he found in town because he didn't love her anymore.

Daryl opened the door and shut it quietly before looking toward the bed. She wasn't there, so he went to the bathroom. She was sitting on the toilet, hunched over with her head in her hands.

"Ya okay?" he asked in a whisper as he crouched down in front of her, his knees popping loudly. He cringed at the pain, and she sobbed a little harder. Daryl was never sure what to do in these situations, so he just patted her shoulder awkwardly.

He hated her crying more than he hated walkers. "Baby, ya gotta tell me what's wrong."

Beth looked up at him and smiled wide. "Happy tears."

"Huh?" His brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm so happy," she whispered.

"Ya sure?" he asked as he stood up and leaned against the counter.

She held out her hand, and he looked down at the plastic stick she held there. He knew what it was because she'd had him pick her up some a long time ago when she thought she was pregnant during the spring.

She hadn't been, or maybe she had, and she'd miscarried. There'd been a lot of blood, and she'd hurt. He didn't like to think about it, but his mind went there a lot without his consent. God, he'd thought she was going to die then, but when he'd realized what it was, when she'd realized what had happened, she'd been beyond devastated. The only way he'd coped was by pretending it was just a bad period. He'd never wanted kids, but thinking they'd lost one made him understand just how wrong he was. He wanted that with Beth more than anything.

Daryl swallowed hard as he looked at the results box. Normally, there was a single pink line followed by weeks of sadness. Today, though, there was a faint second line, and still Beth cried. His heart jumped into his throat for a moment. "Wow."

He pulled back those feelings quickly. He didn't get his hopes up or think he'd be looking for baby stuff over the coming winter because that test was old—and what if it was wrong? What if he got just as excited as she was and then it all turned out false? She'd be fucking devastated—again—and he'd fall apart, too.

"This is the fifth one I've taken. I used them all after the first one came back positive," she whispered, staring up at him with wide eyes.

"Well, shit. After the day I had, I sure as hell ain't goin' out for more of 'em, so they better be right." He laughed.

Beth bit her lip and stood up. "I've been sick—a lot. I made Maggie and Carol promise not to tell ya since ya haven't been here. I can't even look at the meat ya bring in. It makes my stomach turn." She paused and looked a little sheepish as she added, "I think I've been actin' a little off the last few weeks, too. I've been really emotional and teary."

"That's the damn truth." He smiled at her and pulled her to him, hugging her close.

"Are ya happy?" she asked as he rocked her back and forth.

He thought about it for a minute. He was terrified. He didn't know much about babies or having them. He was worried about how she'd do during the birth and if she and the baby would survive. He couldn't tell her all those things, though, so he kissed her softy, and said, "Yeah, I'm happy."

For a few seconds, he let himself really feel those words.

* * *

The winter passed by quickly, and he, Rick, and Michonne made several trips out to gather things for Beth and the others. Then, during a particularly bad cold snap, the fucking solar panels died. None of them knew how to fix those bastards either, so they had to use the fireplace in the living room and make a group sleeping area during the harshest part of the season.

Daryl tried to find books in the library near them, but it was a bust. No one had a direction manual lying around anywhere on the mechanics of solar technology. He was sure that their luck had run out when it came to electricity.

Of course, everyone's morale hit rock bottom for a few weeks as they got used to cooking over a fire again and not having water on tap. The only person who was happy really was Beth. If she looked over and saw him scowling, she'd grab his hand and place it over her belly.

"He's havin' a blast," she'd say as the baby kicked and rolled.

Daryl would usually smirk, close his eyes, and lean his head back against the wall or the couch. He didn't stop worrying, but feeling the baby like that certainly made him feel lighter.

On one of their last trips that winter, they brought Carol with them to search out clothes and women's items. It wasn't that they were uncomfortable with it, because they would have been fine with just a list, but Carol really wanted out of the house, and she'd asked months ago if they'd take her to her hometown when they were able.

She moved around, gathering things, and Rick and Daryl kept watch. They were almost done for the day when a man approached them, holding up his hands.

"Hey there!" he called out, and they all turned, raising their weapons.

"Sam?" Carol asked and started to approach him.

"Carol, is that you?"

She ran then and hugged him tightly. "I didn't think anyone else was left."

"Well, a lot of 'em aren't," the man said, looking at Daryl and Rick. "Sandy died a long time ago, but the kids are alive. We're in a bunker right now, but we move a lot. Ain't ready to leave here because I don't really know where else to go and what's safe, ya know?"

"I hear ya. It's a mess out here."

"Are ya alone?" he asked.

Carol nodded, looking down. "It's been awhile, too."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry about Ed. But thank you when it comes to Sophia. She didn't belong here, though."

After that, it was damn near impossible to say no to Sam and his kids coming to stay in the house. He and Carol had gone to high school together and remained distant friends even after she married her asshole husband.

When they got back to the house and explained the group sleeping area in the main living room due to the dead solar panels, Sam just shook his head.

"I worked with them before this," he said and smiled. "I know all about installation, troubleshooting, and repair. I mean, we might have to go out and get some stuff to fix it, but I can probably do it. I can take you to where I used to work. If it's still in place, we can get whatever we need."

Later that night, when everyone had fallen asleep, Daryl prayed for the first time in a long time. He thanked God from bringing them Sam. He thanked Hershel, too.

It took about two months, but Sam fixed the panels and the house was buzzing again. They had water and lights, and now they had Sam to work on the panels and maintain them the way they were supposed to be cared for. Daryl knew it was another huge break in their favor.

The months that followed saw Carol and Sam grow a hell of a lot closer and ended with them sharing a room. He pulled his weight, and his kids, who were sixteen and fourteen, were polite and helpful. No one minded. In fact, the rest of the group were happy Carol had found a good man in the shit storm they called life now.

Carl was looking to get lucky, too, but Sam and Adam, his younger son, kept a close eye on his daughter Mandy. She was sixteen, and Carl was only a little older. Rick had several talks with him because of it, and Daryl figured there would be many more to come.

They were very sneaky, but not sneaky enough to get past him. Sam was in for a rude awakening when he realized that sweet, little Mandy was sneaking Carl through her window nearly every night.

He wasn't Daryl's kid, though, and he knew they really didn't need another baby right now, so he placed a couple of boxes of condoms in Carl's room. Only Beth knew he put them there. He'd turned into a fucking gossip, lying there in bed with her, feeling the baby move around.

He was such a pussy.

But he didn't mind when it came to her.

* * *

The anniversary of Walter's death came upon them once spring arrived.

Every single one of them had been shocked by his death about six months after they'd moved in. One minute, he was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Beth and Carol, and the next he stood up, complaining of his shoulder and head hurting. As he turned to go to his room, he collapsed, causing both of them to run to his side. But it was too late. It must have been a massive heart attack because Carol couldn't feel a pulse at all, and within minutes, he was turning.

Rick barely made it inside to take care of him before he got off the floor. Even though it was so sudden, Rick made sure to handle it with as much respect as he could. Walter had never wanted to turn, but it couldn't have been helped. Beth and Carol were in utter shock that he'd died so quickly.

It had been a massive blow to the group. Walter had been their voice of reason. Even though shit was so terrible, he'd always have something to add to the conversation to make things seem okay. He was a good man, and Daryl had let a few tears falls as he dug his grave.

Now, he watched as Beth laid some flowers over his and Cynthia's graves and held a hand to her round stomach.

A whole lot had changed since then, but one thing was certain. Walter was the man who'd saved his life and his family, and he'd forever be grateful to him.

* * *

Two short months later, he sat on the edge of the bed as Beth slept, holding his son in his arms. It had been an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, and the boy was perfect.

Daryl was overwhelmed by the whole damn thing.

When Carol had delivered him, Beth asked, "Who is it?"

He took him from Carol, and smiled up at his wife, and said, "Daniel."

Beth had clapped a hand over her mouth and laughed. "I told ya!"

Now, he looked down at his sleeping boy and couldn't believe how full his life was in spite of all the terrible things going on outside their fence.

_How'd he get so fucking lucky?_

He realized that even though his son would grow up in a world where monsters were real, and he'd learn how to defend himself, his mother, and his family at a young age, he'd never have to deal with the monsters Daryl had grown up with.

Daniel would always know he was loved and protected. Valued and adored. He'd get his daddy's hunting lessons and his momma's hope. He'd be able to walk around the yard without fear, especially since the walkers were becoming thinner and thinner, especially up in the forests. He'd be the future for them.

Daniel opened his pale blue eyes and looked up at Daryl, and Daryl's heart skipped a beat.

No, he'd never have to deal with the shit Daryl did. Not ever.


End file.
